No effect of birth order on adult risk taking

Abstract

Does birth order shape people’s propensity to take risks? Evidence is mixed. We used a three-pronged approach to investigate birth-order effects on risk taking. First, we examined the propensity to take risks as measured by a self-report questionnaire administered in the German Socio-Economic Panel, one of the largest and most comprehensive household surveys. Second, we drew on data from the Basel–Berlin Risk Study, one of the most exhaustive attempts to measure risk preference. This study administered 39 risk-taking measures, including a set of incentivized behavioral tasks. Finally, we considered the possibility that birth-order differences in risk taking are not reflected in survey responses and laboratory studies. We thus examined another source of behavioral data: the risky life decision to become an explorer or a revolutionary. Findings from these three qualitatively different sources of data and analytic methods point unanimously in the same direction: We found no birth-order effects on risk taking.

Analysing effects of birth order on intelligence, educational attainment, big five and risk aversion in an Indonesian sample

“…Our results were consistent with null effects on agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and risk aversion found in WEIRD populations (Damian & Roberts, 2015;Lejarraga et al, 2019;Rohrer et al, 2015). Yet we found no effect of birth order on either intelligence or openness, in contrast to the small negative estimates reported for WEIRD populations (Barclay, 2015b;Damian & Roberts, 2015;Rohrer et al, 2015;Rohrer et al, 2017).…”

No evidence that middleborns feel less close to family and closer to friends than other birth orders.

“…V. Pollet & Nettle, 2007). This is in line with other studies finding no measurable effect of birth order on personality (e.g., Ernst & Angst, 1983;Rohrer et al, 2015), risk-taking (Lejarraga, Frey, Schnitzlein, & Hertwig, 2019) and socio-political attitudes (e.g., Freese et al, 1999;Førland et al, 2012). Thus, we argue that at present there is no strong evidence that in adulthood, middleborns feel less close to their family and closer to friends than other birth orders.…”

Effects of Birth Order on Intelligence, Educational Attainment, Personality, and Risk Aversion in an Indonesian Sample

“…Our results were consistent with null effects on agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and risk aversion found in WEIRD populations (Damian & Roberts, 2015;Lejarraga et al, 2019;Rohrer et al, 2015). Yet, we found no effect of birth order on intelligence nor openness in contrast to the small negative estimates reported for WEIRD populations (Barclay, 2015b;Damian & Roberts, 2015;Rohrer et al, 2015;Rohrer et al, 2017).…”

“…Recent birth order research using WEIRD samples emphasises that earlier studies were vulnerable to overfitting owing to small samples, flexible model specification, and post-hoc theorising (Rohrer, Egloff, & Schmuckle, 2017) . Although robust but small birth order effects on intelligence, educational attainment, and intellect, a facet of openness to new experiences, have recently been reported, little evidence to corroborate previously reported effects on other aspects of personality exists Damian & Roberts, 2015;Rohrer, Egloff & Schmuckle , 2015;Lejarraga, Frey, Schnitzlein, & Hertwig, 2019).…”