再談Birth Order

去年先後寫過兩篇關於Birth Order(aka ordinal birth position)的文章: 排行第幾及家中排行與婚姻匹配. Birth Order這個題目頗有趣, 值得再談.

首先, 玩了一個tickle的Birth Order與性格的測驗: The Influence of Birth Order ~ Discover How It Affects Your Personality.

下面是我的結果:
除了性格及婚姻匹配外, Birth Order及兄弟姊妹之間的年齡相隔(spacing) 都對我們有很大的影響.

長女長子真的都是比較優秀, 可說是無容置疑.
"of the first twenty-three American astronauts sent into outer space, twenty-one were firstborns and the other two were only children"(Birth Order & Spacing)

子女間如果相隔年歲更多, 他們會較易適應.
"children have an easier adjustment if siblings are not extremely close in age"(Birth Order & Spacing)

不過亦有學者認為兄弟姊妹的多寡比Birth Order的影響更大.較近年的研究, 集中在五種性格特徵上的分析 (Birth Order & Spacing):

• Openness to experience: Firstborns are more conforming, traditional, and closely identified with parents.
• Conscientiousness: Firstborns are more responsible, achievement-oriented, and organized.
• Agreeableness: Latterborns are more easygoing, cooperative, and popular.
• Neurosis (emotional instability): Firstborns are more jealous, anxious, neurotic, and fearful.
• Extroversion: Firstborns are more outgoing, assertive, and likely to exhibit leadership qualities.

當然, 還有其他不可忽視的因素: spacing, gender, physical differences, disabilities, birth order position of parents, divorce, and sibling death.有關Birth Order的研究及說法有許多. 有興趣可細看:

How Your Birth Order Affects Your Romantic Compatibility(這個和上次說的婚姻匹配差不多)
最好的配搭: 獨子與幼女, 長子與幼女, 次子與幼女
最差的配搭: 次子與次女, 次子與幼女, 孻子與孻女
最最差: 獨子與獨女, 沒有姊姊的孻子與沒有兄長的孻女

Birth Order May Affect Homosexuality
這個聽了多年的了, 就是有許多兄長的孻子比較容易有同性戀傾向.