WorksheetsBirth Order Theory
Total questions: 12
Worksheet time: 35mins
Alfred Adler was born in Vienna in 1870 to a middle- class family with seven children. He was the third child; the first child was a boy and the second a girl. Throughout his childhood, Adler suffered from rickets, was very weak, and fell ill often, which resulted in his parents pampering him (Ryckman, 2013). His health problems led to a feeling of inferiority, as well as a sibling rivalry with his older brother, Sigmund. One of his writings includes a description of a day his family was at the beach and he became jealous of Sigmund’s health. He wrote, “He could run, jump, and move about quite effortlessly, while for me, movement of any sort was a strain and an effort” (Eckstein & Kaufman, 2012, p. 63).
When was Alfred Adler born?
1850
1860
1870
1880
“He could run, jump, and move about quite
effortlessly, while for me, movement of any sort was a
strain and an effort” Adler wrote about (a)
Adler described five distinct categories of birth order which can be applied to all individuals, and assigned certain traits to those who fit into each group. The first of those categories is the oldest child, who typically receives a great deal of attention before the birth of subsequent siblings. Because there are no other siblings to compete with, first children receive their parents’ full affection during the beginning of their lives. However, after the birth of the second child, the first born takes on the role of the “dethroned monarch,” forced to share parental attention with the new sibling (Ryckman, 2013, p. 84). The amount of time between births can also have an impact on how children cope with the birth of a new sibling. If it is three or more years, a routine of life has already been established and is responded to accordingly, whereas a lesser time interval means that the individual will not be able to understand the change with words or concepts (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956). Therefore, it is more difficult for such children to understand what has happened.
How many distinctive catagories of birth order are there?
3
2
4
5
"Dethroned Monarch" is the term for....
First born child
the only child
Second child
None of the above
According to Ansbacher and Ansbacher (1956), the second child must share attention with another sibling from birth and is therefore more likely to be cooperative than the first born. They tend to be very competitive as they are constantly striving to keep up with their older sibling. This trend often continues in their careers as they work harder than others in order to be the best (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956). However, they may set unrealistically high goals for themselves, which will essentially ensure their ultimate failure. This can result in neurosis later in life because their expectations for themselves can never be met. Later in life, the second child is more likely to resist authority and believe that there is no power that cannot be overthrown (Ryckman, 2013).
Which one of the following is not a characteristic of Middle child?
cooperative
Realistic goal setter
cooperative
Striving to be the best
The (a) child is more likely to resist
authority and believe that there is no power that cannot
be overthrown.
The youngest Child: Since new siblings will not dethrone the youngest child, they are often the pampered babies of the family. They may hold the majority of the family’s attention, which can result in an excessive dependency on others for support and protection (Ryckman, 2013). Since the youngest child has at least one older sibling, they have many opportunities to compete with others. Due to the increased attention they receive, they may develop in an extraordinary manner and excel in their endeavors, often surpassing their competitors (Ansbacher & Ansbacher, 1956). They are given many opportunities to do well, and success in such situations can catapult them into further achievement, earning them recognition within their families.
Based on the assertion and reason, find which statement is right
Assertion: A middle child can be the youngest child
Reason: The youngest child has at least one older sibling
Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
A is true but R is false
A is false but R is true
Both A and R are false
The youngest child may have an excessive ___________.
Jalousy
Anger
Dependancy
competetiveness
