Opposite-sex Siblings Research Articles

Effects of Siblings' Sex Composition on Self-Concept

Summary Subjects (N = 106) from families of two or three children were analyzed in terms of various sibling sex configurations. All were administered the Tennessee Self-concept Scale. Planned contrasts statistical procedures showed that subjects from two-child families did not have significantly different self-concepts when they came from same or mixed-sex sibling families. Subjects from three-child families of two same-sex and one opposite-sex siblings did not have significantly more negative self-concepts than subjects from three-child families with three same-sex siblings. Results were discussed in terms of “a special place in the family.”

Effects of Siblings of the opposite Sex on Friendship

Walter Toman (1961) has presented interesting issues concerning family constellations and male-female relationships. One contention is that a person who has a sibling of the opposite sex is more likely to accept friends of the opposite sex than a person who has no opposite sex sibling. The present study, which is part of an ongoing project on male-female relationships, concerned how comfortable males and females (who are not romantically involved) feel with friends of the opposite sex and the effects of the presence or absence of opposite sex siblings on these relationships. A questionnaire was distributed to 80 undergraduates at Rider College, 21 females with brothers, 17 females without brothers, 23 males with sisters, and 19 males without sisters. They were asked to think about friends of the opposite sex (no romantic connotation) who were not relatives and how comfortable they would feel in certain activities with them. The activities were: going to dinner with, talking wich, shopping with, borrowing money from, going to a movie with, joking with, working with, asking a favor from, confiding in, discussing issues with, and going through a crisis with. The subjects responded on 7-point scales, ranging from very uncomfortable ( 1 ) to very, comfortable ( 7 ) . Half of the questionnaires listed the activities in the above order, and the other half listed them in reverse order. Subjects were randomly assigned to one version or the other. The 11 questionnaire items were combined into an over-all social interactions scale by calculating, for each subject, the mean rating of comfortableness across all 11 items. Means were subjected to a 2 x 2 analysis of variance-sex of subject and presence or absence of siblings of the opposite sex. A significant main effea for sex of subject emerged (&,;a = 5.26, p < .05), indicating that females rated themselves as more comfortable with male friends than did males with female friends. However, a significant interaction (F1.m = 7.04, p < .01) shows that, in line with Toman's hypothesis, especially females with brothers feel comfortable with male friends ( M = 6.06, SD = .53) rather than females without brothers ( M = 5.42, SD = .57). Contradicting Toman's hypothesis, males with sisters are actually slightly less comfortable with female friends (M = 5.21, SD = .94) than are males without sisters ( M = 5.48, SD = 3 9 ) . To assure that this interaction was not due merely to the influence of a few of the 11 items, means for each item were checked. The same pattern emerged for 9 of the 11 items. . In the future, variables, such as differences in ages of siblings and ordinal position of siblings, must also be considered, as well as diverse situations.

Sibling incest aversion as an index of oedipal conflict.

This study examines sibling incest aversion as an index of the Oedipus complex. The scale's construction and its relation to presence of opposite sex siblings, guilt, and neuroticism is described. Males displayed less aversion and more variability in incest aversion than did females. There was a positive relation between aversion and having an opposite sex sibling for males, but not for females. For both sexes there was a positive relation between sex guilt and aversion. Compared to high or low incest aversion females, middle females displayed a mild obsessive-compulsive pattern, higher hostility guilt, more neurotic complaints, less extraversion and more sensitization. The high reliability and significant relations with relevant variables demonstrate the usefulness of this scale.

Sibling Constellation and Androgynous Sex Role Development

Summary The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between androgynous sex role development in adults and sibling constellation factors (N = 454 male and female undergraduates). It was hypothesized that androgynous as compared with sex-typed adults would be more likely to have older opposite-sex siblings. Results indicated that number of older brothers was related to androgynous sex role development for females, and perceived closeness to older sisters was related to androgynous sex role development for males. Discussion centered on the need to focus on both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of sibling constellation factors as they relate to androgynous sex role development.

Designation of Preferential Affinity in the Jokwele Kpelle Omaha-Type Relationship Terminology

This paper seeks to demonstrate the ideological relevance of the Jokwele Kpelle Omaha-type relationship teminology to the Jokwele Kpelle marital alliance system. It challenges the conventional view that 'MB' and 'ZS' terms in Omaha teminologies are necessarily consanguineal designations. While the Jokwele nomenclature does include distinct affinal assignments, 'MB' and 'ZS' terms are used to designate preferred relationships of affinity; the nomenclature reflects a Jokwele preference for repeated marriages between patrilines, without direct exchange between pairs of opposite-sex siblings. In native theory, the preference for marriage between the MBD and FZS--or their terminological equivalents--reflects a view that the descendants of pairs of opposite-sex siblings should marry. The interpretation presented supports the view that the structural consequences of a rule of marital preference are different from those of a rule of marital prescription.

Origin of human bone marrow fibroblasts.

We investigated the origin of bone marrow fibroblasts in three bone marrow transplant recipients with aplastic anaemia and leukaemia who received grafts from HLA-identical siblings of opposite sex. The patients were conditioned for transplantation with high doses of cytotoxic drugs and 300--1000 rads total body irradiation. After transplantation, bone marrow cells were cultured in T flasks for 3 weeks and the adherent cells were then trypsinized and passaged weekly. After several passages the cells had the typical morphology and growth pattern of fibroblasts. Metaphases from these cells were all of recipient sex type. In contrast, haematopoietic cells and lymphocytes obtained at the same time were of donor sex type. Our findings indicate that the human bone marrow fibroblast is not derived from a precursor common to haemotopoietic cells or lymphocytes. The bone marrow fibroblast appears to be a mesenchymal cell, unrelated to haematopoietic stem cells, which is capable of in vitro proliferation after as much as 1000 rads of total body irradiation.

Une femme et trois hommes.

M. Bekombo-Priso—One Woman, Three Men. A reconsideration of the theory of kinship terminology shifting the stress from the single husband/wife relationship to give equal weight to the mother/son and sister/ brother ones, integrating them into a four-term 'atomic' kinship pattern. The examples are taken from the patrilineal coastal Bantu of Cameroon and show how, through her marriage, a woman becomes implicated in a three-sided alliance with three men: her opposite-sex sibling, her non-kin husband, and her son. It is only through a global analysis of these three relationships that one can account in an exhaustive way for the meaning of matrimony, its mechanisms and its consequences, [pp. 299-313].

Sibling Deidentification Judged by Mothers: Cross-Validation and Developmental Studies

SCHACHTER, FRANCES FUCHs; GILrIZ, GABI; SHORE, ELLEN; and ADLER, MICHELLE. Sibling Deidentification Judged by Mothers: Cross-Validation and Developmental Studies. CmLD DEVELOPMENT, 1978, 49, 543-546. A previous study of sibling deidentification in undergraduates was cross-validated on a new population, mothers judging pairs of their own children; at a new age level, averaging 6.4 years; and using same-opposite as well as alike-different judgments. The design also included a developmental study. Judgments of 95 mothers with 2 children and 45 with 3 cross-validate previous findings. (1) Percentage deidentification was significantly higher for first pairs (first 2 children) than jump pairs (first and third children), with intermediate levels for second pairs (second and third children). (2) Deidentification was higher for samethan opposite-sex siblings among first pairs. (3) Global judgments covary with semantic differential polarization scores. Developmental analysis indicates a linear increment until age 6, when deidentification stabilizes at extremely high levels for first pairs. Opposite and different judgments covary. Results support the hypothesis that deidentification is a defense against sibling rivalry, although an alternative explanation, that mothers impose deidentification on their children, merits consideration.

Patterns of interest similarity in adoptive and biological families.

Twin studies have indicated that genetic differences among individuals also contribute to interest and personality differences among them. In this study, 114 biologically related families and 100 adoptive families were administered the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. The protocols of parents and their adolescent children (total N = 870) were scored on the six scales of Holland's model of interest styles (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional). Biological parent--child correlations ranged from -.13 to +.40, with 15 of the 24 scale correlations achieving significance; only 2 of the adoptive parent--child correlations were significant (range from -.15 to +.25). Biologically related pairs were also significantly more correlated than adoptive pairs for interest profiles. Same-sex biological siblings were more similar to each other than either opposite-sex siblings pairs or parent--child pairs. Pairs of unrelated children in the adoptive families were not too similar either on Holland's scales or the profile analysis.

Birth Order and Sex of Sibling as Determinants of Mother-Infant Interaction

Mother-infant interaction was assessed on 32 first- and second-born siblings when each was 3 months old. Data were colleted during 2 6-hour naturalistic home observations using a modified time-sampling technique. The sample consisted of 4 equal-size subgroups of same and opposite sex sibling pairs. Results suggested that interaction between a mother and her infant varied depending on the birth order and gender of the infant. Mothers spent significantly less time in social, affectionate, and caretaking interaction (except for feeding activities) with their second borns than they had with their firstborns; this difference was greater if the second born was female. Certain patterns of maternal behaviors appeared to be stable from one sibling to the other. Different types of interaction between the mothers and their younger infants were related to attention-seeking behavior in the firstborn male and female siblings.

Human mixed leukocyte culture: identification of the proliferating lymphocyte subpopulation by sex chromosome markers.

The nature of the cells which proliferate in response to allogeneic histoincompatible lymphocytes in human mixed leukocyte cultures (MLC) was investigated. Direct information on the differentiation of proliferating cells was obtained in an in vitro chimeric system with T- and B-cell sex chromosome markers. Highly purified T and B cells were prepared from the peripheral blood of three pairs of HL-A genotype identical, MLC-negative siblings of opposite sex by E-rosette sedimentation techniques. Recombined T and B cells of the siblings were stimulated with allogeneic cells, and karyotype analysis of proliferating cells performed. 96% of the proliferating cells were found to carry the sex chromosome marker of the respective T-cell population. These results indicate that proliferation in human MLCs is a feature of T cells.

A NEW SYNDROME OF CONGENITALLY DEFECTIVE PHAGOCYTOSIS

Siblings of opposite sex experienced frequent and severe bacterial infections, usually respiratory, from early in childhood. The girl's infections were often accompanied by acute and massive Coombs' positive hemolytic anemia, as well as narked hepatosplenomegaly, both of which responded to steroid therapy. Immunoglobulin levels were slightly low but total hemolytic complement, C'3 and antibody production were normal. Her brother has persistent hepatosplenomegaly with mild anemia and repeated severe pneumonia usually due to Pseudomonas. Routine immunologic studies were also normal. Phagocyte function in terms of particle uptake and bacterial killing in both is normal, whereas their serum fails to support the phagocytosis of bacteria by normal white cells in vitro. This defect is corrected by the addition of normal serum to the assay, but not by heat inactivated serum, and opsonin activity of normal serum is not inhibited by patients' serum. No defect can be identified in the parents. The opsonizing deficiency is most marked with gram negative bacteria with 80 to 135%. of initial bacteria surviving at 2 hours, the majority extracellular, as compared to less than 107. survival using normal serum. Present studies suggest a defect in the alternate pathway of complement activation. The patients have been essentially well for several months while receiving infusions of fresh frozen plasma twice monthly.

MASCULININTY-FEMININITY AND ACCURACY OF SEX ROLE ASCRIPTION

To examine relationships between masculinity-femininity, presence of same or opposite sex sibling, and accuracy of cross-sex role-taking, 92 male and female undergraduates classified the 20 items comprising Smith's (1968) Masculinity-Femininity Scale according the sex-role characteristics. Femininity and role-taking accuracy were positively correlated among males (p &lt; 0.01) and negatively correlated among females (p &lt; 0.02), but only one of the four comparisons for sibling effects reached significance (p &lt; 0.05). It is suggested that greater role-taking accuracy among feminine scoring-males and masculine scoring-females results from problematic sex-role identification, and the findings are interpreted in terms of stabilizing mechanisms postulated by interpersonal congruency theory.

APLASTIC ANAEMIA TREATED BY MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

4 patients with complete marrow failure, 3 due to unknown cause and 1 associated with hepatitis, showed no indication of spontaneous recovery after 7 to 52 weeks of conventional and supportive treatment. They were conditioned for engraftment by the administration of cyclophosphamide, 50 mg. per kg., on each of 4 days, followed in 36 hours by marrow infusion. The marrow donor in each instance was a sibling of opposite sex who matched the recipient with regard to the major human histocompatibility locus (HL-A) as shown by cytotoxicity testing of the family and confirmed by non-reactivity in the mixed-leucocyte test. Methotrexate was given for a limited period after grafting as an immunosuppressive agent to modify the graft-versus-host disease. All 4 patients showed prompt engraftment indicated by a return of marrow cellularity and a rise of peripheral blood-counts, confirmed by cytogenetic analysis. 1 patient died of graft-versus-host disease with a cellular marrow 45 days after grafting. Another patient rejected his graft and died 67 days after grafting. 2 patients have excellent-functioning marrow grafts without graft-versus-host disease and are apparently well 138 and 215 days after grafting.

Sex-role discrimination among young children.

3- and 4-yr.-old girls and boys were required to make choices among the various sex-typed items on the It scale under 3 instructional conditions. Results showed that both boys and girls have learned to make sex-typed discriminations by 3 yr. of age; and that girls were better or as good as boys, 4-yr.-olds were better than 3-yr.-olds, and children with an opposite-sex sibling were better than those with no sibling at making sex-typed discriminations for a girl and/or a boy.

Sibling Position and the Feminine Role

Two dimensions of the feminine role-(1) orientation toward proper feminine role behavior and (2) beliefs about female personality traits-are related to college girls' sibling positions in the nuclear family. The expectation that girls with brothers will be more likely to have a more traditional orientation toward the feminine role is not supported by the data. Girls with older brothers did have less traditional beliefs about female personality traits-again contrary to expectations, but consistent with Orville Brim's hypothesis about role assimilation between opposite sex siblings.

X-linked inheritance of developmental timing in man.

FOLLOWING genetical theory, one might expect full sisters to be more similar than full brothers or siblings of opposite sex. Since sisters share the paternal X-chromosome in common, while only half of brother–brother or cross-sexed siblings share the same maternal X-chromosome, sister–sister pairings should be more alike where X-chromosome inheritance is involved.

Lethal congenital neutropenia with eosinophilia occurring in two siblings

1. 1. Two white infant siblings of opposite sex are reported on, both of whom died of congenital neutropenia. 2. 2. The cases differ in certain respects from similar entities previously recorded. 3. 3. We suggest that they represent a new disease, for which we propose the title, “lethal congenital neutropenia with eosinophilia.”