| According to a recent study of nearly 250,000 males | | | | that child is the first one to require the extra |
| between 18 and 19 years old, the first-born had an | | | | expenses. For example, the oldest child would most |
| average IQ score 2.3 points higher than their younger | | | | likely be the first to want to take a class of some |
| siblings. Doesn't sound like much, right? But, those 2.3 | | | | kind, get involved in sports, go to college, etc. |
| points increase a child's chances of getting into an Ivy | | | | The theory that one of the researchers thinks is |
| League school by 30 percent. The results also proved | | | | most accurate is called "niche partitioning". Basically, |
| that IQ is, at least in part, determined by social birth | | | | the oldest child is given the most authority and |
| order and not by genetics, putting an end to a nearly | | | | responsibility, therefore the parents tend to see him |
| 70 year old debate. | | | | as a surrogate parent to the younger siblings. This |
| But, don't start resenting your older brother just yet. | | | | higher ranking then drives the later-born children to |
| While the 2.3 points are fairly significant, they only | | | | find their "niche" in the family. |
| reflect the educational potential of an individual. So, | | | | Because older children already occupy the "disciplined |
| even if you weren't the first to arrive on the scene | | | | and wise" niche, younger children have to find other |
| in your family, you are still entirely capable of being | | | | roles to play. "So, younger siblings look for other |
| more successful than all of your siblings combined. It's | | | | things to be good at," said Frank J. Sulloway, a |
| all about how you use what you've got. | | | | visiting scholar at the University of California, |
| There are several theories as to why first-born | | | | Berkeley, Institute of Personality and Social Research. |
| children usually have higher IQ's. One, they are usually | | | | "It may be that that extra 2.3 points in IQ reflects an |
| given undivided attention during their early | | | | investment of time to get that, and the later-born is |
| developmental years. As additional children are born, | | | | investing that time in something else and is getting |
| the attention of the parents is spread more thinly | | | | 2.3 extra points in something else," he added. |
| across the entire family. | | | | Given that each child is finding his or her own niche, |
| Another possible explanation, parents usually spend | | | | the difference in IQ is nothing for parents to worry |
| more money on the oldest sibling, simply because | | | | about, Sulloway said. |