Researchers say birth order explains a lot about your personality. It's not surprising that varying personalities develop within families. But scratch the surface and you'll discover distinct traits that characterize oldest, youngest, middle and only children, says a Stanford University researcher. Siblings practice Darwinian strategies to compete for their parents' attention. Only children have similar tendencies.
Middle children are the family diplomats, while the youngest often are the most innovative.
To capture their parents' attention so far down the line, they must be creative. Other experts, however, play down the birth-order connection. Other influences, such as parenting and the child's temperament, are more powerful in determining personality, he said. Sulloway doesn't discount parenting and genetic temperament. But, he maintains, birth order is crucial.