Poll: Birth Order

[LadyHuna]

Birth order has a major impact on who we are (argued by psychologists, researched by scientists). Beyond being an INTJ (or the slight variations that roam this forum) what is your birth order (see poll) and how do you think it adds to your personality? Is there a trend for INTJ's to be a certain type birth (argument for environmental conditioning) or is birth order random (genetic determinism)?


References:

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Here is an article on Leman's new book "The Birth Order Book: Why you are the way you are":
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don't buy this book, rather skim at the library as its contents could have been summed up in a dozen bullet points.
Leman's book leads me to another question: Have you considered relationships you've had and the birth order of you vs. your parter? Leman claims this is more important than not.


*I'm an INTJ and the youngest
*We could even run stats on this shit

[Femme de Homme INTJ]

Forgive me for voting, and dock one point off the "only child" category. The poll was probably to see how many INTJ's were what.

Anyway, suppose you were an only child for ten years. Then you inhereted two step sibling each within a year of yor own age, one on either side. Then you got a baby sibling when you were twelve? Theoretically, sepaking, of course. A person from situation would probably classify as an "only child" still, right?

[Tsuru]

I'm the 2nd child out of two. I can't think of how it's effected me really. *shrug*

[LadyHuna]

Femme,
yeah, birth order can be all screwed up with modern family relations but I think its easiest to rely on you would classify yourself. I wonder how your baby sibling would classify him/herself.
I'm not worried about who takes the poll really, its more an interesting topic to consider.
-LH

[Firelie]

I'm the oldest.

That first link's information doesn't apply to me or the way I was as a child, though the second child description does fit my younger brother. We're only 18 months apart in age, though, so perhaps that's why I don't feel the need to nurture or any of those traits they were talking about.

[Paul V]

Failure. The "only child" description does not fit me at all. I used to be like that, yes, which is why the "First child" description fits me so well. But I haven't been that way in several years. And I've also felt like the middle child of three, even though I don't have brothers, sisters or cousins, and I didn't have many friends.

But as always, I'm the exception to the rule. Sigh.

[bubbles]

We discussed birth order in my psychology class. The first born is usually more independent and mature. The second born is responsible, and I forgot...either the third or fourth one is the crazy fun person or something like that. I am the oldest but was an only child for eight years. Both genetics and environment play a role in development and personality. In my experience, I feel that environment typically plays a bigger role and being the oldest, I have many more responsibilities at an earlier age than my younger sibling. As an INTJ, I also want to accomplish my high standards so that my younger sibling would not look at me as that "loser brother," which is something I've seen in some families.

[Kfbr]

Middle childs are the redheaded step childs of this poll it seems :O

[Antares]

Pampered and spoiled.
Feels incompetent because adults are more capable.
Is center of attention; often enjoys position. May feel special.
Self-centered.
Relies on service from others rather than own efforts
Feels unfairly treated when doesn't get own way.
May refuse to cooperate.
Plays "divide and conquer" to get own way.

Doesn't really describe me... I think many adults around me are incompetent, not the other way around.

[amei]

I've read most of Leman's birth order book as my mom had a copy. A good deal, but not all of his classifications, fit both myself and my 3 siblings. However, I don't feel that being the oldest child is all that determines my personality. Rather, I think it is just one of many components.
To me, what is quite interesting is that my family has 4 children: 2 girls & then 2 boys. My mom's family is exactly the same: 2 girls & then 2 boys. There is a bit of a match up between the personalities of my family & my mom's family, i.e. child 2's personality in my family is similar in many regards to child 2's personality in my mom's family. I don't know if it is all due to birth order or also to parenting style (my mom did the majority of the parenting in my family which I hold to reflect the style in which she was brought up herself).
One final thing, in Leman's book, he does make concessions for different types of oldest/youngest children. For example, he takes into account how many years between the birth of the children and also gender (an oldest female child and then an oldest male child).

[Pinkie]

I... don't really believe any of this stuff. I'm the younger of two and I can't say that the descriptions apply to me at all. My brother and I are only thirteen months apart, though, so we've always been fairly similar in terms of development standards. And I beat him on IQ tests ^__^

[Bossy Mom]

I am the eldest of nine children (I have two younger sisters and six younger brothers). Since my mother was so ill during my teen years, I took a lot of care of my siblings and became a "bossy mom" at that time, although I became a good cook much later. My dad couldn't have been anything other than an ENTJ and I don't know what my mom's personality type was; I just call her a "Betty Crocker" mom. They were wonderful parents and did their best.

[cielo market]

The poll options don't accommodate me: I'm the second born out of 4. "Middle?"

[mind_wander]

I'm the oldest.

That first link's information doesn't apply to me or the way I was as a child, though the second child description does fit my younger brother. We're only 18 months apart in age, though, so perhaps that's why I don't feel the need to nurture or any of those traits they were talking about.

I am the oldest, also. What about the sole responsible one? Be ready inable to help others, when its needed and usually the one who has to do the most work? Aren't we the jack of all trades here? lol.

[Firelie]

I didn't see anything you're talking about in that list on the first website.

-Is only child for period of time; used to being center of attention.

-Believes must gain and hold superiority over other children.

-Being right, controlling often important.

-May respond to birth of second child by feeling unloved and neglected.

-Strives to keep or regain parents' attention through conformity. If this failed, chooses to misbehave.

-May develop competent, responsible behavior or become very discouraged.

-Sometime strives to protect and help others.

-Strives to please.

[yondyr]

There's also a theory that gays tend to be the youngest male. I have no stats on it but if true an interesting thought.

[INTJoe]

Middle childs are the redheaded step childs of this poll it seems :O

Middle child here. Also red-headed. Not adopted.

I'm 2nd of 4 kids.

Our order is thus:

1 Male ESTP (unconfirmed yet pretty apparent)
2 Male INTJ (confirmed awesome guy)
3 Male ENFP (confirmed)
4 Female ENFP (confirmed)

An artisan, a rational, and 2 idealists.

[elsdfr]

I'm the oldest with two younger sisters (within four years of me). Middle is ISTJ and youngest is ENFP. Needless to say I couldn't move out quick enough when growing up. Now though we get along perfectly and people always seem surprised that we grew up together.

[jdc127]

My sister is independent thinking, yet she has not moved out of home town.

We get along much better now that we don't live under the sam eroof with my parents. Same goes with our parents.

[Allie]

I am 4th out of 6 kids. So, middle child? I think this is diluting it when there are more than 4 kids in a family.

Don't remember feeling those "typical" birth order characteristics for middle child though.

[Tokey41]

I'm an only child, and with the brief amount of time we talked about them in my Child Development class we are apparently more intelligent, independent, natural leaders, prefer isolated activities, etc.... do those traits sound familiar? I think it has a huge effect as to how my personality panned out into an INTJ, not having social opportunities that other types of children have certainly did not help how difficult small-talk interaction is for me.