According to Canadian duo Mitchell Moffit and Greg Brown, from Toronto, who present an online science show, several theories suggest that where you are in your family determines who you are.

 

 

According to Mitchell and Brown, first-born children are expected to be higher academic achievers and more ambitious.

 

They also have a stronger sense of responsibility and are generally more mature.

 

They also tend to have better leadership skills than other birth orders.

 

The explanation is because although they get a lot more affection and attention from their parents, their parents have higher expectations as the first child.

 

 

Middle-born children apparently¹ tend to be more co-operative, flexible and sociable².

 

They are also able to make and maintain friendships easily.

 

This is due to the fact that as a middle-born child, there aren't the high expectations of the first child, nor the relaxed attitude accorded to the last child.

 

As a result, they also tend to be less ambitious than their older brothers and sisters, and so will have a more relaxed attitude in life.

 

As middle children receive less attention than their other siblings³, they seek out relationships and friendships outside of their family, and can be social butterflies.

 

 

The youngest children tend to be likeable and charming.

 

Other traits they carry are that they are more creative than older siblings, and have a stronger sense of security and confidence.

 

As their parents have already had other children, they tend to be a lot less strict and are a lot more lenient⁴ with their youngest children.

 

Parents' expectations will also be lower.

 

As a result, youngest children will generally be less responsible and mature than older siblings, as they constantly feel like others will take the lead.

 

 

Only children tend to be academically-able, creative and resourceful.

 

They are also mature and responsible, and dislike disorder⁵ and like to be in control.

 

Being a parent's only child, expectations are always high, but unlike a first-born, they never need to fight for the attention of their parents.

 

Not to mention, being in a household with only adults often leads the child to mature more quickly and copy the actions of the parents, rather than being moulded by siblings' childish or youthful interests.

 

But because they have never had to interact with siblings or companions of a similar age, they can have trouble relating to peers and can feel out of control when things in their life don't go their way.

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