A research on the effects of birth order on personality family and society Essay Example for Free

A research on the effects of birth order on personality family and society Essay How Does Birth Order Affect Personality, Family, and Society? Introduction This research project will investigate birth order and how it directly affects one’s personality. This project explains why individuals behave differently within the family. According to the systems theory, families adapt in response to changes in internal and external needs and circumstances, including the development of individual family members (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). For primary research, opinions from different hierarchical perspectives will be provided through a survey. Depending on ones position in the sibling hierarchy, personalities differ because different stages carry different roles and responsibilities. This research project will look at how each stage affects personality. Method For the primary research, a total of fifteen questions were asked to 6 people. Each of the interviewees was of different levels in the sibling hierarchy, i.e. first born, last born, the middle child, only child, and twins. In between each question, the subjects would have time to properly think about their next answer, this way results would be accurate and as substantial as possible. The first interview was conducted with a set of 20-year-old twins, this interview was the most interesting and had the most answers. The next subject was a 13-year-old girl who is the only child of her family, the interview lasted seven minutes. The third interview was conducted with a 17-year-old girl, a 14-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy, they were all siblings and would represent each part of the sibling hierarchy. Topics about the personality and how it affects relationship within the home and outside of the home were discussed. The topics covered were: personality traits and parent-child relationships. Results All of the subjects were teenagers specifically because they would be experiencing the effects of their birth order currently as they are still at home with parents. One hundred percent of the interviewed subjects identified with, and agreed upon the following characteristics and stereotypes: First Borns: High achievers Perfectionists Obsessive Responsible Controlling Middle Children: Very Social Generous Diplomatic Mediators Values friendships and relationships Somewhat rebellious Last Borns: Attention seekers Outgoing Selfish Creative Humourous Discussion This study is supported by Alfred Adlers theory of personality development. Alder was influenced and inspired by Charles Darwin’s study of genetic evolution and adaptation. Darwin’s phenomena can help explain why children tend to differentiate their personalities and carry out tasks uniquely based on their own individual approach to life in order to reduce competition and conflict. Children influence most of the relations that happen within the family, they decide for themselves the role they will play in the family, parents only help reinforce those choices (Schafer, 2015). Some might deem themselves as the â€Å"responsible one†, the â€Å"goody-two-shoes†, the â€Å"smarty pants†, the athlete, the persevering etc†¦ Alder, who is a world-renowned psychologist would suggest that children be raised or treated individually; meaning as the unique individuals that they are. The primary socialization in a child’s life is determined by the fa mily. The family helps you gain a sense of who you are (Holloway, 107). If a child is not raised individually, with each of their stereotyped personality traits taken into consideration, it could result in a low self-esteem, conflict and possibly distance within the family. The Theory of Ego development, founded by Jane Loevinger discusses how ego is developed in three stages (Holloway, 105). The second stage of this theory talks about people understanding and accepting their individual differences and through that, distinguishing variations in feelings and emotions that make people unique (Holloway, 105). Most parents might not understand the psychology that is behind a child’s position in the family, which is why many children especially the middle child, might complain of lessened love and misunderstanding. A parent should feel responsible for the well-being of their child, but many of them overlook the importance of understanding the essence of birth order. 2 out of 5 interviewees described their relationship with their parents as normal without any real problems. The other 3 however, agreed upon the fact that their parents do not understand them and in fact treat their siblings and them the same and bringing them up as â€Å"one person†; saying things like â€Å"Be like sibling A†, â€Å"Sibling A gets very high grades, why is it different with you?†. It is a challenge for parents to understand their children and treat them based on their different characters and psyche, which is why most parents don’t even bother. Feelings of neglect and unimportance may arise within certain children when they compare their relationships with their parents to that of their siblings. Sibling relationships are one of the most significant relationships people experience through life. They help define our early social and cognitive skills. The emotional connection and protection that comes from a sibling bond is a great life satisfaction that helps reduce levels of depression. They can teach us about conflict resolution, managing social tensions, conduct friendships and handle ourselves in group situations (http://internationalschoolparent.com/). Gender also has a role to play in birth order positions. In the case of the first-born child, oldest males are more of leaders as they tend to take charge. Oldest daughters, on the other side of the spectrum, are more aggressive and confident, sometimes bossy. Middleborns are the Type O blood of relationships: They go with anyone, (Schipani, 2010). Middle children tend to be good at making compromises as they would have bossy older siblings and needy younger siblings. The youngest child of the family is usually treasured an d in many cases treated as babies for much longer than their older siblings. The youngest siblings of the family also tend to stray away from taking charge and might be seen as the shy and quiet sheep of the family. The only children of the family are usually stereotyped to be precious and would be pampered as they have all the attention on them; parents would not have to split attention and in worse cases love between siblings because there is only one child. Many say that only children are more mature for their age because of the amount of time they spend with their parents. My research showed that the 13-year-old girl interviewed who is the only child of the family, considered herself more socially aware than her peers and is very much accustomed to and satisfied with her own company. Symbolic interactionism examples that a child’s self-esteem is determined by the parent’s appraisal of the child’s worth, this occurs during the parent-child interaction. It assumes that supportive parental behavior like nurturance, approval, and love all determine a childs inherent worth (Adkins, 2003). The child will be able to confirm that his parents accept him for who he is and see him as a competent and worthwhile person. The more the parent interact with a child using positive sentiments, the child will positively act upon not just her immediate family but the environment around her. The theory states that if parent-child relationships are spread across equally amongst all children, all the children within the family will have an equal self-esteem.    Conclusion As proven by Alfred Adlers theory, birth order does have an effect on one’s personality. As well as individualistically, a child’s position in the family can reflect on his immediate family, meaning sibling and parent relationships as well as how they relate to the outside world. If parents dont learn to properly care for their children individualistically, conflict and feelings of incompetence could arise within the family. Citations Adkins, K. L. (2003, May). Predicting Self-Esteem Based on Perceived Parental Favoritism and Birth Order. In Tennessee State University Graduate Studies. Retrieved from http://dc.etsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1907context=etd Schafer, A. (2015, May 5). Birth Order Theory. In HUFF POST PARENTS CANADA. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/05/05/birth-order-theory_n_7214638.html Schipani, D. (2010, May 28). How Does Birth Order Affect Relationships? In Womens Day. Retrieved from http://www.womansday.com/relationships/dating-marriage/advice/a1611/how-does-birth-order-affect-relationships-107592/ White, James Martin., and Margaret Holloway. Families in Canada: Social Contexts, Continuities, And Changes. Toronto: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005. Print. Whiteman SD, McHale SM, Soli A. Theoretical perspectives on sibling relationships. J Fam Theory Rev. 2011;3:124–139. What Does Birth Order Say About You (n.d.). In International School Parent. Retrieved from http://internationalschoolparent.com/family-constellations-what-if-anything-does-birth-order-say-about-you/

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass Essay -- Narrative Fred

The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass Metal clanks against metal as the chains rub on old scars issuing in another day of toil in the heat with head-down and blood streaming as each new lash is inflicted. This is usually the picture envisioned when one thinks of slavery. While often this is an accurate depiction, there are also many other forms of slavery. The Webster’s Dictionary describes slavery as, â€Å"submission to a dominating influence.† Everyone has influences that shape who they are and what they do, but a problem arises when a person’s entire life is spent abiding under a certain, destructive influence. Often this is done willingly and a sort of addiction occurs in maintaining the hold the authority has in one’s life. It gives the person identity; all they need to do is live under the power they have created for themselves and make up the rules as they go along. Yet in doing this, they rob themselves of true freedom in knowing right from wrong and choosing the right. In fac t, in this regard Fredrick Douglass is one of the freest men in his narrative. In the life story of Fredrick Douglass we not only see an African American man struggling against the oppression of slavery, but also many white masters struggling against their enslavement to reputation, power and religion. First we see what it is to be a slave to reputation. Throughout the Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass it is obvious that what others think matters a great deal to the slave holders. Although this may not make sense since they still do atrocious things to their slaves, there is a certain persona they want to convey to others. Mr. Covey was a harsh, cruel man, and everyone knew and respected him for being such. C... ...nd his white masters as free, but that can only be true if using one definition of freedom. Although seemingly free these white men also struggle under oppression. It is not forced upon, conversely they willingly and purposefully lock on the chains of slavery which dominate their lives. They conform their lives to something that gives them a sense of meaning and identity, using their freedom to choose slavery. Meanwhile, Douglass is free to live an entirely different lifestyle. Perhaps one of the most powerful quotes in his narrative is when Douglass states that â€Å"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur my own abhorrence (28).† He is not willfully bound under the dominion of anything; he is free to be himself and thus know real right from wrong. In this he shows his true freedom.

Do You Feel any Sympathy for Januarie? Essay

All humans are flawed and without these flaws we wouldn’t be human. Contrary to common assumption Januarie is not merely a two-dimensional character used as a didactic device to demonstrate the importance of spiritual wealth and the innate immorality of the female species. Januarie is a multi-facetted character that like all humanity is imperfect. Januarie’s shortcomings create a level of affinity between him and the reader, as a modern reader it is easy to relate to Januarie and sympathise with him, moreover the fact that Januarie seems to learn very little from his mistakes creates a comic affinity between him and the reader, Januarie embodies the view that ignorance is bliss. Januarie’s pursuit of a wife and consequent marriage to Maye can be interpreted as a confession; an admission that in the end physical satisfaction cannot bridge a spiritual chasm â€Å"And folwed ay his bodily delyt, On women, ther as was his appetyt, As doon thise fooles that been seculeer†. Throughout the Merchant’s Tale circumlocution is used to argue the case for a ‘wholesome’ marital lifestyle as opposed to a ‘sinful’ hedonistic lifestyle, the reader is so engaged by the merchant’s convolutions that the obvious bypasses us. Januarie is the man who could have anything and everything, anything on a material level that is. One might question whether potentially an individual apparently contented with his lifestyle could turn around and willingly sacrifice it. Januarie, in spite of his intellectual limitations, has clearly put his life on the balance and assessed what really matters, Januarie chooses his God over everything else â€Å"And for to lyve under that hooly boond†. Moreover throughout the tale Januarie is openly telling us of the loneliness he feels â€Å"He lyveth helpless and al desolat†, if one was to read between the lines it is apparent that Januarie feels desolated and forlorn, the feeling of true appreciation cannot be bought with any currency. Januarie is becoming painfully self-conscious and it is beginning recognize that no amount of friends or sexual partners can counterweight spiritual emptiness. Credit must be given were it’s due and Januarie’s marriage to Maye was a turning of a new leaf for him, it marked the opening of a new chapter in his life. Certainly, it might be argued that Januarie’s true motives for marriage are not completely reputable. Januarie wants to marry for three main reasons; to birth an heir; for permitted sexual intercourse; and for a place in heaven. However the counter-argument to that is that Januarie only desires the afore-mentioned because society has set the dictate. Society dictates what is correct, it also dictates what is needed and this results in a move towards social conformity. Therefore it can be read that Januarie is a victim of medieval society. Januarie is clearly insecure and self-doubting or else he wouldn’t have renounced his epicurean life â€Å"QUOTE†. As a reader, sympathy can be felt for an individual forced to abandon a lifestyle he is supposedly happy with, Januarie has been indoctrinated by t he social order. From a modern perspective Januarie leads a completely acceptable and feasible lifestyle, and it is social pressures that have pushed him into marriage. Sympathy might also be felt because Januarie is the victim of his own stupidity, he has also brainwashed himself that he ‘needs’ a wife â€Å"QUOTE†, Januarie has persuaded himself. It cannot be forgotten that Januarie does show signs of decency and goodness during the course of the tale. He practices ‘gentillesse’ in his treatment of Damyan, when he finds out of Damyan’s â€Å"siknesse† we see a new dimension of Januarie â€Å"That me forthynketh† Januarie even goes as far as too insist on him and Maye paying a visiting him as soon as possible â€Å"To doon hym al the confort that I kan†, we see a virtuous aspect of Januarie’s personality. It is proleptically ironic that this â€Å"Gentil squire† Damyan that Januarie even quite unwittingly acclaims as â€Å"wys, discreet, and as secree As any man† will cuckold him. Januarie talks of no dowry from Maye’s family and is really saving her and her children from a lifestyle. Maye’s treatment of Januarie towards the end of the tale also elicits sympathy from the reader, even more because throughout tale we are constantly reminded of the incongruity of the couple’s ages â€Å"Whan tendre youthe hath wedded stoupyng age†, it is inevitable that as a modern audience we sympathise with a blind old man rather than a young nubile girl who is â€Å"mannyssh wood†. The one man who has pulled her out of the slum life she once lived, and catapulted her into a lifestyle so far taken from her own is being used as little more than a footstool, an object used to achieve sexual gratification from Damyan, we see the squalid, animalistic nature of humans. We see that Maye is ultimately no better than the old Januarie. Januarie is obviously happy in his new life because he refuses to see a lie when it stares him in the face in the form of May and Damyen up the tree.

Japan a Persuasive Research Paper - 3109 Words

As some Japanese strive towards modernization, others are obstructing their efforts my remaining narrow-mindedly adamant upon their obsolete values. One of the major distinguishing characteristics of Japanese society has been the lack of individualism. Japanese people need to justify their existence on the grounds of membership to some sort of group. Be it family, club, or company. Japan is a collectivist society. A collectivist society is concerned with the good of all of the people, and not concerned with the individual’s desires or needs. Everything that the homogeneous country of Japan does strives to benefit the entirety of the community. Unfortunately, their efforts are futile. Their views are completely unrealistic. The†¦show more content†¦Today, the general perspective is that it is almost glorified, because of the ancient Samurai taking the ‘honorable way out’ by taking their own lives. The Japanese view nowadays almost glorifies suicide. The ef fects of living in such a high-stress society are extreme, but the causes are just as bad. Japanese life circles around education. â€Å"Because Japan is such a competitive society, it’s not uncommon for children, even of nursery school age, to be attending a kind of cram school so that they can attend, or be admitted to, a prestigious primary school. Education and the pursuit of education becomes sort of the defining characteristic of a child’s life. The time for play is limited†(Bestor and Hardacre). So, from birth, people are conditioned to conform to severe educational values of their society. Stress from education is the leading cause of suicide for people under the age of 19. In the education system, there are strict rules and regulations that all pupils must abide by. â€Å"Common expressions in Japanese reflect these steps: kata ni hairu (follow the form), kata ni jukutatsu suru (perfect the form). and kata kara nukeru (go beyond the form). 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