Scientists and psychologists
agree that although many factors contribute to forming your personality, for
example, your sex, class, culture, or lifestyle, one of the most important is
your position in the family. So how have you been affected?
Are you a first child, a middle
child, the youngest, or an only child?
If you are a first-born child, you are probably self-confident and a good leader
– you came first after all. You may be bossy and even aggressive if you don’t
get what you want. You are ambitious and good at communicating because you
learnt to speak from your parents, not from brothers and sisters. On the other
hand, you are the oldest and so you have to be the most responsible, and this
can make you the kind of person who worries a lot.
Middle children are often
independent and competitive. You had to fight with your brothers and sisters to
get what you wanted. You are also co-operative as you always had to negotiate
with your older or younger brothers and sisters. You are sociable, as you
always had someone to play with. On the other hand, you may be jealous and
insecure or moody if you felt your parents preferred your older brothers or
sisters.
Youngest children are often very
charming. You learned very quickly that you could get exactly what you wanted
by being charming- and this can make you manipulative. You are usually
affectionate and relaxed because when you arrived your parents were more
relaxed themselves. But you are often not very independent, as you always had
so many people to help you. This makes it hard for you to take decisions. And
you may be lazy, because your parents pushed you less and were less strict with
you than with your older brothers and sisters.
Only children are often quite
selfish. You had the wonderful luxury of not having to share your parents’
attention with anybody else. In fact, you received so much attention as a child
that you find it difficult to be interested in other people. On the other hand,
you are usually organized and responsible, and often imaginative. But you may
find it difficult to communicate with others, and are very sensitive to
criticism.
a)
What’s your
position in the family? Are you the oldest, the youngest, in the middle, or an
only child? Do you like your position?
Why (not)?
b)
Underline the
adjectives of personality. Write them in the chart.
|
|
First-born children
|
Middle children
|
Youngest children
|
Only children
|
|
Positive adjectives
|
Self-confident
|
|
|
|
|
Negative adjectives
|
|
|
|
|
|
Positive or negative
adjectives
|
|
|
|
|
What are you like?
What are your brothers/sisters/friends like?
I’m a middle
child. I’m competitive, but I’m not really moody.....
My younger
brother is definitely.....
