First-born siblings are more intelligent, study finds

This is likely to cause arguments.

For those of you with siblings, you will have a great understanding of the incredible bond that comes with that. However, there also comes it’s fair share of competitiveness. Whether it be deciding who was the fastest when you were small to who was the tallest when you started gaining those inches in your teen years – everything was a competition. One area that always led to disagreement (and still does) was who was the smartest. Yes, we all believed we were smarter than our misfortunate siblings, however, science now says there’s an answer to that debate. According to new research, the firstborn in the family is more intelligent than their younger siblings. Research conducted by the University of Edinburgh and Sydney University found that the eldest siblings were capable of achieving a higher IQ than their younger brothers or sisters from as young as just one year of age. The study examined results from over 5,000 children who were tested on their capabilities in reading and picture vocabulary every two years until they were 14 years old. And there’s apparently a reason for the difference. The research also found that it was a result of parental attention. First-borns tended to receive more mental stimulation when they were younger and therefore had a more highly developed brain function than younger siblings.