"That Elusive Birth Order Effect and What it Means for You."
Essay
Is a person's life occurrences determined by the order of which he or she was born? In the article "That Elusive Birth Order Effect and What it Means for You," by Susan Krauss Whitbourne, that question is discussed. In this article, Whitbourne analyzes the roles potentially caused by the birth order and how they may affect the person. Many would argue that the birth order effect is a real thing, but what does Whitbourne say?
According to Whitbourne, "Alan E. Stewart distinguished between "actual" birth order, or ABO (the numerical rank order into which you are born in your family of origin) and "psychological" birth order, or PBO (self-perceived position in the family.) Your actual birth order need not …show more content…
"Firstborn items on the PBOI tap feelings of being powerful, important, leading, and achieving ("It was important for me to do things right.") (Whitbourne, 54-55). Because he is the oldest, he feels inclined to do everything right so he can set a good example. What were the middle child items? According to Whitbourne, "The middle child items focus on competition, having fewer resources, and feeling unimportant (It seemed like I was less important than other members of my family.") (Whitbourne, 55-57). How about the youngest child items? "For the youngest child items, individuals rate themselves on being the boss of the family, getting others to do things for them ("I was pampered by my family members.") (Whitbourne, 57-59). In other words, sometimes the youngest child can get away with anything because he or she is "just a baby." Last, but not least, what are the only child items? Whitbourne says, "The only child scale tapped those feelings of pressure ("I felt like I lived in a fishbowl.") I do not know what it is like to be an only child, but I think this means that because the person is an only child, he or she is kind of
Essay
Is a person's life occurrences determined by the order of which he or she was born? In the article "That Elusive Birth Order Effect and What it Means for You," by Susan Krauss Whitbourne, that question is discussed. In this article, Whitbourne analyzes the roles potentially caused by the birth order and how they may affect the person. Many would argue that the birth order effect is a real thing, but what does Whitbourne say?
According to Whitbourne, "Alan E. Stewart distinguished between "actual" birth order, or ABO (the numerical rank order into which you are born in your family of origin) and "psychological" birth order, or PBO (self-perceived position in the family.) Your actual birth order need not …show more content…
"Firstborn items on the PBOI tap feelings of being powerful, important, leading, and achieving ("It was important for me to do things right.") (Whitbourne, 54-55). Because he is the oldest, he feels inclined to do everything right so he can set a good example. What were the middle child items? According to Whitbourne, "The middle child items focus on competition, having fewer resources, and feeling unimportant (It seemed like I was less important than other members of my family.") (Whitbourne, 55-57). How about the youngest child items? "For the youngest child items, individuals rate themselves on being the boss of the family, getting others to do things for them ("I was pampered by my family members.") (Whitbourne, 57-59). In other words, sometimes the youngest child can get away with anything because he or she is "just a baby." Last, but not least, what are the only child items? Whitbourne says, "The only child scale tapped those feelings of pressure ("I felt like I lived in a fishbowl.") I do not know what it is like to be an only child, but I think this means that because the person is an only child, he or she is kind of