The Degree to Which Parents' Perceptions about the Effects of Sibling Status on Children are Reflected in Their Own Children
This study was conducted to see to what degree parents' perceptions about the effects of sibling status on children are reflected in their perceptions of their own children. This was tested by selecting a sample of voluntary parents who attended a psychology course at an urban college in the mid-southern United States. Parents were asked to complete two adjective checklists; one for what they would expect from an only, firstborn, and lastborn child and the other for their expectations of their own children. In accordance with previous research conducted about this, this research study found that parents described their firstborn children in a more positive light and therefore expected more from them than from later-born children.
The key criteria I used to critique this study were: 1) Does the data attained in this study accurately explore the research question that is being posed? 2) Is there a minimum margin of error in the study design? 3) Can the findings of this study be applied in more general terms, or is it limited to the specific group tested upon?
The research question is: Does sibling status (age order) play a role in determining what parents expect from their children or the way they respond to or perceive their children?
The research question is conceptualized like so: The effect to which the expectations parents have of their children, and first-born, later-born, and only children in general, is evident based upon the adjective checklist. The study design is the degree to which parents attribute their children as well as hypothetical first-born, last-born, and only children as likeable, outgoing, obedient, unspoiled, and academic.
Mostly quantitative methods are used in order to collect the data for this research question. The answers parents gave on the questionnaires (adjective checklists) were rated and put on a number scale.
The findings of this research study agreed for the most part with previous studies. The birth order of the child greatly effected the way parents "rated them" and determined what they expected from the children. For example, parents of more than one child, tended to rate first-borns better than last-borns, and therefore (as shown in another study) expected more from them. They also saw the eldest child as the least spoiled.
To begin, I witness these judgments, comparisons and assumptions being made almost every day amongst my family, leaving me astonished with human nature’s judgmental side. As the oldest child in my family, my brother is always expected to be
Without the results of studies done on the birth order, by people like Jeffery Kluger, the power of birth order would remain a mystery to us and we would not have as deep of an understanding of siblings. While there is still much about the workings of oldest, youngest, and middle children that we have not yet discovered, the studies conducted on birth order so far have enlightened many parents on how their children’s relationships work. However, while scientists have unraveled many mysteries about the birth order, the constant variables presented to scientists as they study the birth order does hinder the progress of their research, but there is always a hope that someday scientists will be able to completely understand the impact and function of the birth order in sibling’s
Blair, L. (2011). Birth Order: What Your Position in the Family Really Tells You About Your
Cohn, M., & Ariyakulkan, L. (2008). The importance of the sibling relationship for children in
‘Birth order theory can help explain why children raised in the same family environment with a strong genetic relationship can have such different personalities’ (Drysdale, 2011). The birth order theory says that ‘first-borns are leaders, the drivers and the responsible type. They love to feel in control and feel uncomfortable with surprises or feeling out of their depth. They are conservative in their outlook’ (Grose, 2013). The personality theory says that last-borns are majorly different to first-borns in their characteristics and traits. It states that last-borns are ‘the
There are other factors that impact each sibling such as physical circumstances that include income of the parents and the residents of their community. Emotional stability plays a large part in the development of each person, examples include well adjusted parents, parental experiences and the career of the parents. For instance, what decade and country you were born in and the economy of that country also plays an important role. All of these factors can determine what type of person that child will become. In a large part, birth order and gender determine how other people in your family react and treat you. It also determines your self-image and how you react and treat others inside and outside of your family.
The patterns of birth order have been seen for centuries, although it was not studied exclusively until around the 1980s. There are many factors that play into a persons personality, such as their genetics, the way they are raised, and their environment. Birth order looks at a persons place in their family—if they are the oldest, middle, or youngest child—and provides commonalities between them and others in the same location in other families. While there are many variations, the general traits do apply. Research shows that the first born is typically a leader in the family and in other areas of life. The youngest child is usually light hearted and social. The one that is hardest to put a type to is the middle child. He or she will frequently try to blaze their own path, straying from the one that their older sibling made. I believe that birth order plays a part in a person’s personality, but that the way they were raised is also a very important variable. A child’s birth order, along with the way they were raised, is a major factor in the way they interact within their family and other groups.
Since I am interested in birth order, and the differences between my brother and I, I chose to read an article entitled What Parents Learn From Experience: The First Child as a First Draft? Shawn D. Whiteman wrote this article, with corresponding research by Susan M. McHale, and Ann C. Crouter. This particular article explains the differences in parenting between two children within the same family that are about two years apart in age. The words describe what many parents learn the first time around with their first-born child, and how their parenting styles change with the second child. Parents tend to be more easy going with the second child, and therefore discipline is seen less towards the younger child compared to the older child. Also, this article explains that most parents are less worried about the older child when they are out of the house, compared to the younger child one. Younger children tend to be checked up on more then the older kids, but older children tend to have less opportunities then the younger ones do.
The results were, later born from 2-child families were more external than larger size families and first born and only child from 2-child families; only child and first born were more socially responsible than later born; only child and later born were less rigid than first born; and only female subjects manifested higher need for approval compare to
Their conclusion is that family dynamics have a key role in creating the context where sibling
In this brief authors Epstein, Griffin and Botvin, (2008), Maintains that young sibling play an important role in shaping their environment. During an individual’s early childhood, attitudes and behavior is developed. However, the author believes that older sibling plays an important role in creating family standards and structure throughout the lifespan (Epstein, Griffin, & Botvin, 2008).
Whiteman, S. D., Becerra, J. M., & Killoren, S. E. (2009). Mechanisms of sibling socialization in normative family development. New Directions For Child & Adolescent Development, 2009(126), 29-43. doi:10.1002/cd.255
Downfalls and achievements of other siblings tend to be overlooked and deemed as not so important. Modifications are made to all aspects of life, including jobs, marriage & living arrangements, in order to provide care for the sick child, whilst other siblings try to keep up with the changes. The stress and strains that this puts on parents are extreme, leaving little time to nurture themselves and their marriage (APA, 2016).
In what order children are born in also relates to the size of their family. Someone might be an only child, or have multiple siblings. All that depends on how many children their parents choose to have. Having more children means that money, time, and attention have to be divided between the children (Hartshorne, Joshua). The first born child is likely to receive more attention from their parents, as apposed to a second born, who’s parents are likely to be less attentive the second time around. Kevin Leman said, “Every time a child is born, the entire family environment changes. How parents interact with each child as he or she enters the family circle determines in great part that child’s final destiny.”
Many people grow up with a sibling, in fact eighty percent of people in the United States and Europe grow up with a brother or sister (Dunn 1). Most people can agree with the statement that growing up with siblings has impacted their development and personality. This topic has been researched by psychologist and sociologist for decades; which has provided both positive and negative outcomes of growing up with siblings. Children can benefit from growing up with siblings because they can learn from their siblings, gain social skills, and their siblings may become a valuable asset in one’s life.