Question 2 of 21

Fact or fiction: First-born children score higher on IQ tests than their younger siblings.

... Fact: In a Norwegian study, researchers found that first-born children score three points higher on IQ tests than their younger siblings. Middle children benefit from birth order too, and score about one point higher than their youngest siblings.

Question 3 of 21

Want to succeed in business? Your odds of making it to the rank of CEO are best if you:

... Roughly 43 percent of CEOs are first-borns, while 33 percent are middle children and 23 percent are the youngest in their families.

Question 4 of 21

What name is given to describe the phenomenon where a younger child attempts to enact the opposite of an older sibling's behaviors?

... De-identification occurs when a younger child chooses traits opposite those of older siblings. For example, a family with a first-born who excels academically may find that the next child struggles in school.

Question 5 of 21

Who first theorized that birth order has a major impact on personality?

... Alfred Adler, who once worked together with Freud, first theorized that birth order was a major factor in child development more than a century ago.

Question 6 of 21

Fact or fiction: Most members of Congress are the youngest in their families.

... Fiction: In a 2010 study of 121 members of Congress, more than 51 were first-born, while just 31 were the youngest members of their families.

Question 7 of 21

Fact or fiction: When an older sibling dies, middle children take on some of the personality traits common to first-borns.

... Fact: In families where the oldest sibling has passed, the next oldest child takes on some traits more common to first-borns. For example, these now-oldest in their families average three points higher on IQ tests than their younger siblings.

Question 8 of 21

Fact or fiction: According to an influential literature review authored in 1983, there was little research then to support the commonly held belief that older children are natural leaders.

... Fact: In a landmark 1983 study, Swiss researchers Cécile Ernst and Jules Angst found little to no evidence to support commonly held beliefs about birth order and leadership. The relationship only holds true when family members report on the behavior of a sibling, which suggests a reporting bias rather than proof that birth order actually impacts leadership traits.

Question 9 of 21

Fact or fiction: Ernst and Angst found that first-born children tend to be more anxious than the babies of the family.

... Fiction: Ernst and Angst also found no significant evidence to support the claim that older children are more anxious or serious than their carefree younger siblings. This concept is based only on theory or anecdotal evidence.

Question 10 of 21

Fact or fiction: Many famous comedians were the youngest members of their families.

... Fact: Some psychologists theorize that younger siblings build comedy skills as a way of distinguishing themselves from more serious older siblings. While little research exists to support this theory, Stephen Colbert, Jim Carrey, Billy Crystal and Eddie Murphy all happen to be the youngest in their families.

Question 11 of 21

Fact or fiction: The Swiss researchers Ernst and Angst found that first-born children tend to be more conservative and authoritarian.

... Fiction: The literature review conducted by Ernst and Angst also found no link between birth order and authoritarianism or conservatism.

Question 12 of 21

Fact or fiction: The only link Ernst and Angst found between birth order and personality is that the youngest children in a family tend to be more extroverted or outgoing than older or middle children.

... Fiction: Yet again, Ernst and Angst discovered no conclusive evidence to support the relationship between birth order and this element of personality. In fact, their study concluded that birth order had no major influence on personality at all. Obviously, this claim has been contested by many in the years since.

Question 13 of 21

Fact or fiction: Younger siblings earn less than first-born children over time.

... Fact: Younger siblings earn about 1 percent less than their older siblings. Psychologists theorize that younger children may take on riskier occupations, or creative jobs that are less lucrative.

Question 14 of 21

Fact or fiction: More than half of U.S. presidents since the 1920s were first-borns.

... Fact: More than half of all U.S. presidents in this period were first-borns, including Clinton, Carter, Ford, George W. Bush and Obama.

Question 15 of 21

Fact or fiction: Want to be a NASA astronaut? Your chances are fairly slim if you aren't a first-born.

... Fact: Of the first 29 NASA astronauts, 22 were the oldest children in their families. Another five were the eldest sons in the family, with older sisters but no older brothers.

Question 16 of 21

Fact or fiction: When it comes to college majors, the youngest child in a family is more likely to choose an artistic or creative field, rather than an analytical one.

... Fact: An Ohio University study finds that younger children are drawn to artistic or creative majors, while middle or only children tend to choose cognitive or analytical ones. While this study supports commonly held ideas about birth order and personality, it is based on a relatively small and limited sample.

Question 17 of 21

Fact or fiction: First-born children are more likely to hang out with other first-borns.

... Fact: Research shows that first-born children are more likely to hang out with other first-borns, while middle children pair off with other middle children and youngest siblings choose friends who are also the babies of their families. While research is limited, some researchers suggest that this link also extends to spouse selection, so that first-borns are more likely to marry other first-borns.

Question 18 of 21

Fact or fiction: Scientific evidence shows that being a middle child can have some negative effects.

... Fact: At least one study has shown that when a new sibling is born, the now-middle child can suffer a drop in grades. Older siblings are largely unaffected by the new addition.

Question 19 of 21

Psychologist Frank Sulloway, who is well known for his work in birth order and personality, suggests that younger siblings are more likely to take on this trait as a means of standing out from their older siblings.

... In his 1997 book "Born to Rebel," Sulloway points to famous rebels like Darwin, Copernicus and Harriet Tubman, all of whom were both revolutionaries and happened to rank among the youngest members of their families.

Question 20 of 21

Which member of the Brady Bunch serves as the popular poster child for the middle child syndrome?

... As the middle Brady girl, Jan found herself living in the shadow of the beautiful, older Marcia and the cute and funny baby of the family, Cindy.

Question 21 of 21

Fact or fiction: Younger siblings are less likely to finish school than first-born children.

... Fiction: In the average family, birth order has no impact on level of education. In very large families, younger children get more education on average than their older siblings.

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