As if siblings don't have enough to argue about, now a new study has found the oldest child is likely to be smarter that their younger siblings.
Researchers from the Universities of Houston, New South Wales and Sheffield conducted the study. The team found there was "a strong negative relation between birth order and cognitive outcomes of children", The Independent reported. "The magnitudes of these birth order effects are substantial," researchers said.
For the study, the reading and picture vocabularies of 5,000 children were assessed every two years till they turned 14.
Older siblings feel more confident in their intelligence, while younger siblings tend to lack confidence in their smartness, the study’s results showed.
The differences between the children are noticeable before they even start school.
"Latter-born children perform worse on cognitive assessments from a very early age, well before they enter school," researchers added.
The reason for the difference they believe is because parents give varying degrees of attention to each child.
"Although latter-born children are not born disadvantaged in their health or developmentally, we find that parents are unable to provide them with the same level of cognitive support as they do with their first-born," the study stated, according to The Independent.
However, according to the study, the change in parental behaviour "appear to set their latter-born children on a lower path for cognitive development and academic achievement, with lasting impact on adult outcomes."
