Chapter 3

Warm up Questions

1. How do you describe your personality?
2. Do you think personality is formed by environment or are we born with it?

Reading

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1. What makes us who we are?  Is it nature or is it nurture? Nature means that people are born a certain way.  Nurture refers to the circumstances around us that influence who we become. This nature/nurture question is very old, and everyone seems to have a different answer.  The varied responses to this question are as unique as our personality itself.
2. Alfred Adler, who was a colleague of Sigmund Freud, had an idea.  He thought that he could answer this question by looking at birth order.  He developed a theory that the personality of people was formed by their position in the family as children.  His survey found that there was a distinction between the characteristics of the eldest child, the middle child and the youngest child.  He also found similarities between only children.
3. The theory of birth order suggests that eldest children are leaders.  They like to take control, and they are somewhat bossy.  Eldest children feel that they are predominantly right, and others should follow their lead.  They see themselves as being responsible and cautious thereby making them take control.  It is difficult to win an argument with an eldest child because they feel they are always right.
4. This theory suggests that middle children are very different from their older siblings.  Middle children seem to seek attention. Perhaps this is because they are sandwiched between their older and younger siblings and feel ignored.  In contrast to their older brothers or sisters, middle children are often quite creative and independent.  They usually enjoy being social and connecting with other people.
5. The youngest child in the family is often called the baby.  This label is ongoing: when they are grown adults, you may hear them refer to themselves as the baby of the family. The youngest child is often charming.  The social nature of the middle child can also be detected in the baby of the family.  Youngest children are fun and outgoing.  Their role includes being both a risk taker and an attention seeker.
6. The theory about birth order included an investigation into the personality of people who are only children.  Only children develop personalities from the underlying effect of having no brothers and sisters. Theorists suggest that this lack of exposure to other children when growing up influences their personality.  Only children are more mature than their peers of the same age.  They are often sensitive to the feelings of others, and they want approval from people around them.  Only children want to be the centre of attention; these characteristics can be traced back to the way they were raised.
7. Are there people you know that fit these descriptions?  The normal reaction to this theory is to label others with these personality traits according to birth order.  However, there are also examples of individuals who do not fit Adler’s theory.  Adler’s theory of birth order became public in the 19th century and generated discussion, but recently no one has been able to duplicate his survey.  Recent birth order studies specified that there are many variations in the personality traits of people grouped according to their birth order.  Some critics also point out that birth order changes as more children are added to the family.  Only the eldest remains in the same position.
8. Even though it was eventually proven false, interest in Adler’s theory fluctuates.  This theory is widespread and survived for over one hundred years.  Perhaps it survived because it gave an easy answer to the nature versus nurture theory about personality development.  Early family experiences must comprise part of the personality we reveal as adults.  Do you find this theory true in your own life?

Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1. Who is Alfred Adler?
2. What are two characteristics of the eldest child?
3. Which type of child is described as a risk taker?
4. What is an only child?
5. Is Adler’s theory true?
6. Do you agree with Adler’s theory that birth order influences personality?
7. Do you think personality is a result of nature or nurture?

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