Psych Exam 4: Sibling

Temperament

-active kids experience more conflict than non-active -worse when older sib is highly active -really bad when both sibs are highly active

Positive aspects of siblings: For both

-better negotiating skills -more mature moral reasoning

Positive aspects of siblings: For younger sib

-get advice that would not seek from parents or friends -role model -more rapid acquisition of ToM

Middle children are

-good at negotiation, diplomacy, cooperation, generosity, flexibility -well liked by peers, not necc. well known -as adults, likely to be managers, coordinators -worst academic outcomes (focus on other things that #1 didn't excel in) -least invested in family of origin (express more positive views toward friends, less positive of family)

Only children are (on average)

-high on achievement motivation -more obedient and slightly more intelligent -as adults, high achievers, but may become "discouraged perfectionists" -more likely than kids with siblings to be both victims and bullies during childhood (get along less well with other kids)

Spacing and order effects

-if 5 years separate births, child coming after this period similar in many ways to first born -if 7 years separate births, resemble onlys

Impact of sibling gender: Non-surprising findings

-kids with opposite-sex siblings are more likely to engage in cross-sex activities -kids with opposite-sex siblings more comfortable with the opposite sex during adolscence

When younger sibling is around 8 months...

-large increase in sibling play -fewer negative behaviors -sibs able to comfort baby

Positive aspects of siblings: For older sib

-mature more quickly than other children -teaching is good cognitive exercise (for girls) *number of younger sibs negatively correlated with boys' SAT scores, positively correlated with girls' scores*

Gender

-more conflict among same sex siblings (also more warmth) *maybe b/c more to compete with/ more room for conflict*

Age

-more conflict when closely spaced (also more warmth/love) -most conflict when younger sib is toddler, early childhood

Youngest children are

-risk-takers, creative, humorous, rebellious -most popular (well known and well liked) -more likely to be alcoholics, psychiatric patients -often go into sales positions; also likely to be artists and go into outdoor related fields

Child factors associated with sibling relationship quality

1. Age 2. Gender 3. Temperament

Aspects of parenting associated with poor sibling relationship quality

1. Parental conflict- especially detrimental when older sib is insecurely attached to mom (parents who fight have kids who fight) 2. Use of power assertion and coercion (encourages neg. behavior) 3. preferential treatment

Conflict with siblings associated with problematic outcomes unless...

1. sibling relationships also warm 2. parents effective in coaching conflict resolution (conflict can teach siblings how to handle conflict)

Impact of sibling gender: Social learning

1.Same vs. Opposite sex sibling (Stoneman/Koch) 2.Modeling gener-typed stuff (McHale) *both in earlier adolescence*

Deidentfication: application to gender roles

Grotevant: young adults with opposite- sex older siblings have more gender consistent interests than young adults with same-sex older siblings (*opposite of Stoneman/Koch*) example: if have older sister, you would be more masculine

Modeling gener-typed stuff

McHale: Firstborn siblings' gender role attitudes, gender personality qualities, and gender-typed activities predicted secondborns' scores on the same measures (if have more feminine brothers, you will be more fem. - regardless of your gender) *gender-typical behavior runs in family*

But does the presence of brother make you more stereotypically masculine in other ways? Do sisters make you more feminine?

Not as clear

Same vs. Opposite sex sibling

Stoneman/ Koch: For younger sibling, having an opposite sex older sib is associated with lower gender stereotypical behavior (tend to become like gender of older sibling- more feminine or more masculine)

-become clingy -regress (exhibit babylike behavior- potty accidents) -exhibit deliberate naughtiness -all of these most pronounced when older sib is 2-3 years old and/or difficult temperament

When sibling is born, some preschoolers...

when is deidentification more important

early adulthood/ late adolescence

Deidentfication: most pronounced when sibs are same sex

greater stability in temperament during adolescence for kids in cross-sex sibling dyads than those with same-sex sibling dyads *change personality more if older sibling of same sex*

Preferential Treatment- effects

on the onw with poor treatment: -rivalry -negative attributions toward sib (believing sib is out to get you) -low self-esteem (if get short end of stick) -low acceptance of authority, fairness morality (if indicated that things aren't fair-diminishes acceptance of authority)

Preferential Treatment

parents most likely to favor child who resembles them in gender, birth order (putnam favors oldest because was an older child and knows what it's like to have younger sibs)

Early sibling relationships- DYNAMIC

putnam's relationship w/ older daughter and wife never the same after youngest born

Deidentfication

siblings strive to establish own identity

First borns are

similar to only children but not as extreme -high achievement oritentation, high IQ, but less performance anxiety than only kids -less popular than later borns -well-organized, conscientious, rule-orientated, self-reliant -as adults more likely to be college and grad students, college faculty, doctors, teachers etc. ( more than 50% of USA presidents were 1st or onlys)

When is conflict with sibs especially bad?

when also have poor peer relationships

Preferential Treatment- worst effects

when father is preferential -father behavior seems to be more imp than mother's b/c more variability in the way father's bahve OR scarce resource- limited time dad spends w/ kids is more imp