Are Youngest Siblings Really Funnier Than Their Older Brothers And Sisters?

beckham family

by Anna Brech |
Published on

When it comes to battle of the siblings, there are a lot of false facts flying about.

For example, first-born children are said to be more intelligent than their younger brothers and sisters, while middle kids are thought to be excellent negotiators.

But can we really trust that these findings aren't influenced by the family position of whoever is conducting the studies?

Now, youngest siblings are getting in on the act.

According to a YouGov survey of 1,783 British adults, those at the bottom end of the family consider themselves to possess greater levels of dazzling wit than their older brothers and sisters.

The study showed that 46 percent of people who were the youngest in their family considered themselves to be the funniest, compared to 36 percent of oldest siblings.

Of course, some might say these findings merely illustrate the arrogance of youngest siblings...

Will Smith family
Will Smith and his family - but who's the funniest? ©Rex Features

Oldest siblings do notoriously get a tough gig as far as birth order goes.

Not only do they have to fight all the battles first, they're also expected to showcase a level of responsibility and maturity that gets entirely eroded the further down a family you go.

No wonder younger siblings feel like they're more easy-going and relaxed.

While they tend not to face the same parental pressure as their older counterparts, younger siblings still reap the rewards of more attention from mum and dad.

This goes hand-in-hand with a tendency for parents to become more lenient in their approach, as their children grow up.

They have more time to focus on youngest children, but not with the same you-must-win-at-everything-and-be-perfectly-behaved attitude that they started out with.

On the flip side, research indicates that youngest siblings are more likely to showcase rebellious and delinquent behaviours such as drinking, marijuana use and non-violent crime.

And naturally, that's something that their older brothers and sisters probably knew all along...

Read More: Why Sibling Rivalry Is Best Left In The Playground

Read More: First-Born Children Are The Most Intelligent, Study Finds

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