Lame: Yet Another Birth Order Sweeping Generalization

Written by lame

According to economics professor Joseph Price at Brigham Young University in a study published in the new issue of The Journal of Human Resources:

first-born children get about 3,000 more hours of quality time with their parents between ages 4 and 13 than the next sibling gets when they pass through the same age range.

The study provides a possible explanation for why older children tend to get more education, make more money and score higher on IQ tests.

Findings come across as shaky to me and the leap to the “possible explanation” is hazy. Consider a family like the one I grew up in where the oldest child (me) was quickly followed by subsequent siblings and dropped like a rock by parents trying to survive and tending to the younger ones. Such a family is not the happy schmappy, doting parents who give much attention to any, especially not the oldest. Parents’ attitude of “you’re on your own, kid” might also offer another possible explanation why some first borns are more driven. An odd study for an economist.