Yes, researchers from the University of Illinois asked this question and were not too lazy to shovel through a lot of statistical material to draw an unambiguous conclusion.
The eternal dispute with the younger ones is over. How many times did the first-born prove to their younger brothers and sisters, "I'm smarter than you!" - and finally it was officially recognized by the researchers.
Although the difference in intelligence is slight, but nice.
In Illinois, they looked at data from over 377,000 students and found that, on average, older children in a family have one IQ point higher than their younger siblings.
Although the younger ones have no reason to be discouraged. After all, this is the average temperature in the ward, and there will always be talented exceptions. And then, what is one point? Ha! Less than nothing! You better look at what soap bubbles I got.
The study also showed some psychological differences between older and younger children.
As a general rule, older children are more extroverted, more compromising, more conscientious, and less anxious than their younger siblings. Secrets of raising older children.
However, psychology professor Brent Roberts emphasizes that this advantage is also insignificant. And it becomes noticeable only when studying large groups of people, rarely within the same family.
Therefore, it is still better to be proud of real achievements, and not the prerequisites for them. Of course, both older and younger children have achievements. 10 Things Only Older Children in the Family Know.