Birth Order Effect Whitbourne Summary

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What is the definition of birth order? Most people believe that it is the chronological way you and your siblings were born. While this is true, it is only true to an extent. There are two types of birth order, actual birth order and psychological birth order. In the passage, “The Elusive Birth Order Effect and What it Means to You,” Ms. Susan Krauss Whitbourne explains both birth orders and their factors and in great detail. According to Ms. Whitbourne believes there is a science to birth order. She believes that depending on whether you are the oldest, middle, or youngest child will have a direct relationship with your personality. Ms. Whitbourne references psychologist Alan E. Stewart and his extensive research into the topic. Mr. Stewart bases his studies and research on 529 journal articles that have accumulated over the past 20 years. He then begins to distinguish between ABO (actual birth order) and PBO (psychological birth order). ABO is, as stated in line 23 and 24, “the …show more content…

In 1991 a research team that included Stewart developed a Psychological Birth Order Inventory. The PBOI contained items to assess all birth order positions in the family that individuals rate on an agree-disagree scale. Like actual birth order the oldest has the feelings of being powerful, important, leading, and achieving. Middle children focus on competition and, like the actual birth order, feel unimportant. Next the youngest children think they are the boss of the house because they have the manipulative personality to get people to do what they want. Finally, the only child has a feeling of pressure to live up to what their parents expect. The author also believes in what psychologists Daniel Eckstein and Jason Kaufman have added to the party. They flipped the script and looked at what the parental perceptions and beliefs about birth order. They found that parents stereotype their own

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