By Khadija Allen of Madame Noire
The likelihood of parents bursting in the room to find their children bickering over a toy is a given, especially when they are the first and second-born. As it relates to science, new studies show that competitiveness isn’t the only trademark in sibling rivalry, academic awareness is affected too.
Research studies by The American Psychological Association revealed that firstborns score higher on aptitude tests from their younger counterparts who fair better on grade point averages. The 90 sibling pairs who were tested from a multi-ethnic, suburban New York High School answered questions on their brother or sister’s work ethic, intellectual capacity and academic performance. Test scores and grade point averages were also included.
Tiffany Frank, a doctoral candidate at Adelphi University was inspired by the research from her point of view growing up as the youngest of three children in her family. “I have an older sister who I just felt was smarter than me,” she said. The evidence gathered from Frank and fellow colleagues is that the last born child is more competitive than the firstborns because it increases their desire to gain the parents’ attention.
But on both sides, the oldest and youngest siblings regard themselves as gifted persons in contrast with extended relatives.
