Do you think first born children are smarter than their siblings?

Question

And what about ONLY children? Do they tend to be smarter than the average and more likely to succeed?

I'm an only child, and I'm also a member of Mensa, but I received every possible advantage from my parents: world travel, the finest schools, you name it. One of my earliest memories is of my father placing my tiny hands on the wheel of his yacht, and letting me pretend to steer it. Did all of this result in my success or would it have happened anyway? I don't know. I'll let you be the judge.

Answer 1

Science Daily — A recent study provides some of the best evidence to date that birth order really doesn't have an effect on intelligence.

In reality, if you look at these larger families, the fourth-born child is just as intelligent as the first-born. But they all don't do as well as children from a smaller family.”

The younger a mother was at the birth of her first child, the lower we would expect intelligence scores to be within a family.

That's because younger mothers would tend to have less education, more children, lower income, and other factors that would negatively affect the intelligence of their children.

Answer 2

I'm a middle child---and although my older brother seemed smarter, got the 4 year college degree (which he wasted because he did NOTHING with a political science degree)...and did better then my younger brother in High school, I actually ended up as the most stable one as an adult----and I'm not just saying this----I have more common sense then EITHER of my brothers..... I was the only one of the 3 of us to hold down a steady job which I just retired from after 35 YEARS of service... neither of my brothers has kept ANY job for longer then a few years at a time. My older brother has a temper that scares me sometimes.... I am very level headed and able to solve problems logically---my older brother solves things USUALLY by kicking something (breaking it further), dumping something--can't fix it---toss it out, or just yelling about it).... I sit and figure things out and take my time to fix whatever it is--and if I can't fix it I usually know who can.... my younger brother is VERY good mechanically--NOT my older brother---I'm FAIRLY GOOD but when I don't know something I DO know where to locate an answer... On legal matters, I am MUCH more logical then either brother... so in the long run, since MY life has been pretty straightforward and the path I followed was less stumbled on and I now have a retirement income NEITHER of my brothers will EVER have.... I guess in all truth---it was ME, the MIDDLE CHILD who eventually ended up the smarter one.

sorry someone didn't like what I said here---(thumbs down)...it amazes me how someone can stick a thumb DOWN on someone who is telling something that actually happened.... I mean it's NOT like the "THUMBER" knows a THING about what happened in MY PARTICULAR CASE and that is all I was stating---MY PARTICULAR CASE...

Answer 3

No. Some people are naturally smart, but it has nothing to do with birth order. Also, keep in mind that "smart" doesn't have to mean school smart; there are many different kinds of intelligence. In some families, the oldest is the favourite and is seen as smarter by the parents; this could make the other siblings less likely to try hard or learn, but it doesn't make them less capable or intelligent.

Answer 4

I don't think either is correct. My oldest sibling and I are equal in intelligence. However, I have seen children out of multiple-child homes surpass only children, and I have seen it the other way around. I think intelligence is just based on the will to learn and has nothing to do with birth order.

Answer 5

It depends on the family and how many are in the family. In my family that's not necessarily what happened, but the oldest is the most independent.

Answer 6

the firstborn had your undivided attention and learned more and has more knowledge so far than your other children because he has been around longer....but children learn from each other ...only children never learn like children with siblings....the only child always feels deficient

Answer 7

I know that I am the smartest. But maybe because I'm a spoiled brat!

Answer 8

sometimes because one thing they were the only child for awhile and were treated more as an adult when the parents were talking to each other

Answer 9

SURE - it's cos all the good brains go to the first - - so only kids have it made cos they have no competition and can spend all day on themselves - - OH PLEASE!!!! Just use your BRAIN here folks - - INTELLIGENCE has nothing to do with birth order!!!!

Answer 10

They said first Born's are more intelligent on the Colbert Report.