Birth order, family size, and intelligence

Science. 1973 Dec 14;182(4117):1096-101. doi: 10.1126/science.182.4117.1096.

Abstract

The relation of birth order and family size to intellectual performance, as measured by the Raven Progressive Matrices, was examined among nearly all of 400,000 19-year-old males born in the Netherlands in 1944 through 1947. It was found that birth order and family size had independent effects on intellectual performance. Effects of family size were not present in all social classes, but effects of birth order were consistent across social class.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Birth Order*
  • Family Characteristics*
  • Humans
  • Intelligence Tests
  • Intelligence*
  • Male
  • Netherlands
  • Sampling Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Statistics as Topic