Posted on 06/21/2007 8:25:51 PM PDT by Bob Leibowitz
The eldest children in families tend to develop slightly higher I.Q.s than their younger siblings, researchers are reporting, based on a large study that could effectively settle more than a half-century of scientific debate about the relationship between I.Q. and birth order.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Someone left off the BS label!
That was talked about 30 years ago.
Oh, please. Is this some sort of argument for having only one child?
I always thought my brothers and sisters were knuckleheads, this proves it.
Jimmy Carter is older than his brother, but he’s still the idiot of the family. No wonder his mother wished she’d remained a virgin.
My family was a notable exception.
I’m the oldest male child in my family, and I’m the most intelligent person I know, by far. ;-)
Yup, my eldest son is a lot smarter than me.
I had heard that Presidents tend to be eldest children (commanders)....this opposed to Congress who tend to be middle children (negotiators)...not sure if it’s true....
I beg to differ. My brother is three years older than I, but I am the one with the decidedly higher IQ.
There have been studies lately that indicate that kids with younger parents (male & female) have higher IQ’s and typically live longer too. Something about telemeres on the end of chromosomes getting shorter...or something like that.
My siblings (4 sisters, 1 bro) are 8-20 yrs older. I’m the idiot who they come to subsidize their bad habits and poor financial planning.
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My older brother is a progressive liberal.
You decide...
They should meet my older brother.
Seems plausible, even self evident.
The first gets more attention, more doting, prodding, stimulation, until the next comes along.
The next one gets—well I wouldn’t say half— but less.
The eldest resolves his/her jealousy by assuming authority and responsibility over the younger interlopers.
That sort of thing might influence IQ tests, whatever they are.
Regarding that "dutiful" part, there is a famous study in which the power went out in New York City in 1965. Psychotherapists noted that the people who nevertheless showed up for their session (in the dark) with the doctor or psychologist were overwhelmingly the first born.
I am the oldest in my family and once I make a promise I make great efforts to fulfill my promise. It's built in.
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