Impact of Birth Order on Social, Emotional Intelligences and Academic Achievement among University Students

Abstract

Aim of the Study: Alfred Adler, founder of “Individual psychology” highlighted the imperative role of birth order in shaping personality. So, the present study aimed to identify that academic achievement, social, emotional intelligences differ among university students based on the order in which they were born, gender and sibsize.

Methodology: Using cross-sectional research design, a purposive sample of 200 men and 200 women, aged 19-25 years (M = 20.89, SD = 1.55) was taken to examine differences in academic achievement, social, and emotional intelligence of young adults in first, second, middle, and last birth order. Participants filled out the structured and valid questionnaire and data analyzed via SPSS v 23.0.

Results: Results showed that first born were significantly high academic achievers F(3, 396) = 3.65, p = .03; while second born were more socially intelligent F(3, 396) = 2.96, p = .00 than other birth ranks, however no significant differences were detected for emotional intelligence among birth ranks. Further the impact of gender and sibsize was also examined.

Conclusion: The study could be helpful for parents, children, clinicians, counselors and other professionals to understand that birth order can be a vital factor in assessing their behaviors and personality traits. Limitations and recommendations for future studies are discussed.