Examining the Effect of Birth Order on Neuroticism and Extraversion among Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of birth order on personality traits, specifically Neuroticism and Extraversion, among adolescents and young adults. A total of 120 participants aged between 14-25 years completed a survey distribution via Google Forms. The sample was evenly split into two groups: Elder children (First-born) and Younger children (Last-born), each comprising 60 individuals. The personality traits were assessed using Neuroticism and extraversion subscales of the Neo-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI, Costa & McCrae, 1992). Data analysis involved the use of a two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test to compare the distribution of Neuroticism and Extraversion scores between the two birth groups. The results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the distribution of Neuroticism and Extraversion traits between elder and younger children. These findings contribute to understanding how birth order is not the sole influence on neuroticism and extraversion among adolescents and young adults.