The Importance Of Sibling Relationships

I’ve always been fascinated when analyzing family dynamics and the strong influences that each relationship contributes to shaping individuals as they grow. Specificially, I am of the opinion that sibling influences are underestimated by comparison to most other relationships. Sibling relationships are rarely considered when observing an individual’s evolvement across the lifespan, but the fact is that sibling relationships are the longest, most durable and resilient relationships most people will engage in.

In an article entitled “Theoretical Perspectives on Sibling Relationships,” Shawn D. Whiteman, Susan M. McHale, and Anna Soli attempt to initiate and promote observations on the significant lifespan effects stemming from sibling relationships.

I have vivid memories of crying unconsolably because my twin-sister and I had been placed in separate classes and for the first time since conception, we were apart. According to the “attachment theory” constructed by British Theorist John Bowlby, this type of social attachment is most frequently noted in a healthy parent/child relationship, but it is certainly conceivable that any figure within prevalent social proximity would be a natural option for this type of social-emotional attachment. Corresponding with this theory, my twin-sister and I had become a source of attachment and security for one another. Also as in following with the attachment theory, sibling attachment may evolve to “compensate for parental inadequacies in cases of stress or deprivation” (p.4). As my own personal experiences and observations have affirmed, children amidst a divorce will form closer bonds and attachments with one another for emotional

I have an aunt that gave birth to three sons. She was a stay-at-home mother, and my uncle was a very successful attorney. They raised their sons identically, but their sons could not be more different. My aunt has a saying to explain this, she says “it’s in the computer.” She believes that we are all preprogrammed for a specific purpose in life before we are even born. This is her own non-published theory, but her scenario doesn’t differ from many. There are many theories on why siblings grow to become so different from one another. One theory is the social comparison theory introduced Leon Festinger in 1954. Festinger’s social comparison theory states that we deduce our own worth (socially and personally) based on how we compare to others. As a result, we are constantly making personal evaluations across a variety of factors including attractiveness, wealth, intelligence, and