It's official: Elder children are smarter
James Forsyth 11:51amTime magazine has a very fun story in this week’s issue about the importance of birth order. Apparently, elder children are smarter and earn more while younger ones are funnier and more inclined to take risks. Time even has the scientific data to back this up. “In June, for example, a group of Norwegian researchers released a study showing that firstborns are generally smarter than any siblings who come along later, enjoying on average a three-point IQ advantage over the next eldest—probably a result of the intellectual boost that comes from mentoring younger siblings and helping them in day-to-day tasks. The second child, in turn, is a point ahead of the third.”
As the youngest of three, I do, though, feel obliged to point out that these IQ gaps are pretty minimal.
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Mark Forsyth
October 19th, 2007 1:00pm Report this commentI didn't want to be the one to say so.
salieri
October 19th, 2007 1:33pm Report this commentAbsolute balderdash. The younger ones are invariably smarter - at least in North London - because (a) they spend so many hours unconsciously absorbing their elder sibling's homework and (b) they then have to do their own homework because no. 1 continues to need parental help. This is not merely personal experience, by the way.
Jack
October 19th, 2007 6:27pm Report this commentFrom a scientific perspective 3 IQ points is merely within the accuracy of IQ tests to measure intelligence......so you can just ignore this difference vs your siblings
dearieme
October 19th, 2007 8:40pm Report this commentI have read that if you classify only-children as last-born instead of first-born, such results usually evaporate.
Derek
October 20th, 2007 1:51am Report this commentLondon's Science Museum canceled a talk by Nobel Prize-winning geneticist James Watson after the co-discoverer of DNA's structure told a newspaper that Africans and Europeans had different levels of intelligence. I hope the Norwegians whom you have identified will now be forced out of their jobs and that the authorities, self-appointed and otherwise, will crack down on anyone circulating the vile crime-think that the Chinese are more intelligent than Caucasians.
jfrancishill
October 23rd, 2007 5:10am Report this commentIf it's any help James, the youngest will always be mama's baby.
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