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The Effect of Birth Order on Students’ Choice of Major

The Effect of Birth Order on Students’ Choice of Major. Shoko Nakatsuji Hanover College. Birth Order Theory. Sulloway (1996) claims that birth order does have an effect.

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The Effect of Birth Order on Students’ Choice of Major

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  1. The Effect of Birth Order on Students’ Choice of Major Shoko Nakatsuji Hanover College

  2. Birth Order Theory • Sulloway (1996) claims that birth order does have an effect. • Sulloway suggests that children in the same family do not turn out alike because they are competing for parental attention.

  3. Empirical Research on Birth Order • Herrera et al. (2003) find that people believe that birth order affects personality. • First-born: intelligent, responsible, obedient • Later-born: creative, irresponsible, emotional

  4. Empirical Research on Birth Order • Herrera et al. (2003) find that people believe that those with higher birth ranks attain higher occupational prestige. • Herrera et al. (2003) find that those with higher birth ranks do complete more years of school and do have more prestigious occupations.

  5. Empirical Research on Birth Order • Clark and Rice (1982) found that eminent scientists were earlier born than eminent non-scientists.

  6. Hypothesis • First born children will be more likely than later born children to select science and math-related majors.

  7. Birth Order Questionnaire • Number of siblings • Ages of siblings • Types of siblings (biological sibling, adopted-sibling, half-sibling, step-sibling, twin/multiple) • Gender of siblings • Socioeconomic status

  8. Data Collection • Mass survey • Individual class surveys

  9. Participants • Total number of participants: 179 • Male: 65 Female: 114 • Mean age: 19.80 • Year in school: Freshman (36.9%) Sophomore (29.1%) Junior (17.9%) Senior (16.2%)

  10. Birth Order • Only children (6.1%) • First-borns (50.8%) • Second-borns (36.3%) • Third-borns (6.1%) • Fourth-borns (0.6%)

  11. Biology Business Chemistry Computer Science Economics Engineering Geology Mathematics Physics Pre-medicine Science/Math Major Participants Percent science/math majors = 41.3%

  12. Data Analysis • Birth order as a continuous variable • r = .06, p = .45

  13. Data Analysis • Birth order as a categorical variable • 2 = .07, p = .80

  14. Data Analysis • Birth order effect was strongest for sophomores: r = .25, p =.08.

  15. Discussion • Harris (1998): “in recent studies, birth order effects are not found or are found to be negligible.”

  16. References Clark, R.D. & Rice, G.A. (1982). Family constellation and eminence: The birth orders of Nobel Prize winners. Journal of Psychology, 110, 281-287. Harris, J.R. (1998). The Nurture Assumption: Why Children Turn Out the Way They Do. New York: Free Press. Herrera, N.C., Zajonc, R.B., Wieczokowska, G., & Cichomski, B. (2003). Beliefs about birth rank and their reflection in reality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 142-150. Sulloway, F.J. (1996). Born to Rebel. New York: Pantheon Books.

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