Birth order not only affects a child's personality but also determines their future career, research shows
Previous research has shown that birth order affects a child's personality. But new research confirms that whether you are the eldest, middle or youngest child in the family, it will have an impact on your career. Researchers led by psychologist Emma Kenny recently revealed this fact.
A team of statisticians analysed a random sample of more than 500 successful people from 11 different occupational groups. One of the most obvious findings was that, compared with their siblings, middle children are 30% more likely to become a company CEO. The researchers say this may be because, in order to attract their parents' attention, they develop personality traits such as competitiveness, flexibility and diplomacy, which makes them better suited to the roles of high achievers that require quick thinking and a high level of management.
Mark Zuckerberg (CEO of the Facebook social network), Lord Alan Sugar (CEO of Amstrad) and Bill Gates (CEO of Microsoft) are all middle children. The study also found that middle children are 41% more likely to become Olympic athletes. The researchers say birth order is an important factor in determining the type of occupational role among siblings. These are more typical cases than exceptions. Interestingly, they found that most astronauts are the eldest children in their families - Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong are typical examples. Eldest children are also the most likely to become scientists or engineers such as Stephen Hawking and Tim Berners-Lee. And youngest children such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Mozart are 50% more likely to pursue a career in classical music, possibly because of their "sensitive and idealistic personality traits".
As for only children, research shows they are more likely to become artists because of their "perfectionist and mature personality traits".
Compiled by Guo Xiaoqi
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