Sibling Science

Curiosity Killed the Rat

In this episode about the science of siblings, we take a close look at the popular idea that your birth order can affect your personality or who you grow up to be. Are first born children more likely to be natural leaders? Are they more neurotic, having experienced the luxury of undivided parental attention only to be “dethroned” by the birth of younger siblings? Are younger siblings more free-spirited and less conscientious? Is there any actual scientific substance to birth-order theory at all?? In our listener question we talk about cannabinoid receptors – do we still have them even if we never partake in cannabis use? We now have patreon! If you love what we do and appreciate what we make, there is now a way you can show us your appreciation financially! There is absolutely ZERO pressure, but if you have as little as $1/month you can chuck it our way to help us out and show us you appreciate all the time and effort that goes in to making this show. Find us https://www.patreon.com/curiosityrat And as always, you can follow us on Instagram or twitter @curiosityrat, or find Curiosity Killed the Rat on facebook and give us a like! Episode Sources: https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/birth-order-has-little-effect-on-narrow-personality-traits.html https://www.reuters.com/article/us-intelligence-families-idUSN2138647820070622 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2156010-we-may-know-why-younger-brothers-are-more-likely-to-be-gay/ https://www.pnas.org/content/115/2/234 https://www.pnas.org/content/115/2/302?site=n_detail_link https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2005/11/10/2819545.htm https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-birth-order-affect-personality/# https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1968-08718-001?doi=1 https://www.pnas.org/content/112/46/14224 https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/112/46/14224.full.pdf https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/03/14/birth-order-doesnt-shape-personality-after-all/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656615000525 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26483461/ https://youtu.be/1YfVTCh9sXQ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797617723726 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789136/#:~:text=Endogenous%20cannabinoids%20are%20endogenous%20lipids,9%2Dtetrahydrocannabinol%3B%20THC). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-019-02389-7