Middle children rejoice! Science says they are more humble, honest and cooperative

Your birth order really plays a role in shaping your personality. Based on this, the middle child often feels like an extra player in the team. They feel unheard and not given their fair share of attention from the parents or elders in the family. If you’re a middle child and you’ve been feeling neglected all your life, here’s a new study that will dissolve that middle child syndrome in you.
A new study has shed light on the personality traits of middle children, suggesting that they may be more honest, humble, and cooperative compared to their older and younger siblings. The research, conducted by Canadian researchers Michael Ashton from Brock University and Kibeom Lee from the University of Calgary, challenges long-held stereotypes about birth order and personality.

The researchers used the HEXACO Personality Inventory to measure traits such as honesty, humility, agreeableness, emotionality, and openness. The findings revealed that middle children scored the highest in honesty, humility, and agreeableness, indicating that they are more likely to forgive others, compromise, cooperate, and manage their tempers effectively.

"Research suggests that middle children may possess distinct personality traits that make them more agreeable and honest compared to their older and younger siblings."
The study also found that middle children tend to avoid manipulation, exhibit a lack of interest in wealth or luxury, and do not feel entitled to elevated social status. Youngest siblings followed middle children in these traits, while eldest and only children scored the lowest.

The idea of birth order influencing personality was first introduced by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler over a century ago and has been a topic of discussion ever since. While stereotypes often portray firstborns as assertive and responsible, youngest children as indulged, and middle children as overlooked, the recent findings provide a new perspective.
Despite these findings, other research has questioned the connection between birth order and personality. A 2020 study argued that there is no definitive link between personality traits and birth order, challenging long-held stereotypes about only children being narcissistic.
Prominent figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Madonna, Warren Buffett, and Abraham Lincoln, who were all middle children, defy the notion of being "overlooked," further illustrating the potential advantages of being in the middle.