The aim of this study is to explore and describe children’s experiences of the repositioning of their psychological birth order in a reconstituted family. The aim of this study is also to contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon to aid the parents of these children as well as professionals working with such families. The systems theory was used as the meta-theory of this study. Gestalt field theory formed the connection between the systems theory and Adlerian theory, to portray the interaction between the individual and the different subsystems of which they are part, and formed the lens through which the study was done. Adlerian theory was used to explain the subsystems function in the micro system, with the focus on children’s experiences of the repositioning of their birth order in a reconstituted family. A qualitative research method with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used as research design. Eight children took part in this study. The researcher used semi-structured interviews to explore their experiences of the repositioning of their psychological birth order and the data was analysed thematically. The researcher had a discussion with the participants’ parents to determine the children’s psychological birth order and to obtain background information regarding the original and reconstituted families. The findings indicated that children’s experiences in relation to their parents and siblings had the most profound effect on how they experienced the repositioning of their psychological birth order in a reconstituted family. It seemed that participants preferred their parents treating them congruent to their psychological birth order within the reconstituted family and they experienced incongruent treatment to their psychological birth order, as negative. Participants enjoyed being favoured by their parents. If the sibling who caused the repositioning was favoured, or his or her parents unfairly blamed the relevant participant, it contributed to tension in the sibling and child-parent relationships. Participants seemed to associate less time spent with parents as well as less attention from parents with step- and half-siblings in the reconstituted family. Participants expressed less responsibility in the reconstituted family as a favourable aspect and more responsibilities in the reconstituted family as a unfavourable aspect of being repositioned. In the participants’ experiences, which related to their siblings, the children seemed to defend their psychological positions in their renegotiation for new positions and roles in the reconstituted family often resulting in power struggles and sibling rivalry. Age and gender differences played a role in this process. When participants were ineffective in their negotiation of a new position within the new sibling subsystem, feelings of isolation were reported. Participants experienced frustration when they were unsuccessful in their negotiations regarding former roles associated with their psychological birth order in the new family system. Participants expressed companionship with a step- or half-sibling of the same gender as a favourable experience in their repositioning. The time elapsed since the reconstitution of the family, seemed to play an important role in how children experienced the repositioning of their psychological birth order. / Thesis (MA (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka hur födelseordning (syskonposition och kön) och ledarskap (ledare och icke-ledare) påverkar arbetsrelaterad upplevd kontroll (Work Locus of Control). Ett urval av 116 individer besvarade en enkät bestående av bakgrundsfrågor och mätskalan arbetsrelaterad upplevd kontroll, WLCS. Resultatet visade två signifikanta huvudeffekter av ledarskap respektive kön på arbetsrelaterad upplevd kontroll. Ledare och kvinnor hade en högre intern arbetsrelaterad upplevd kontroll än icke-ledare och män och bekräftar resultat från tidigare studier, men där resultatet skiljer sig för kvinnor. / The primary objective of this research was to investigate how birth order (sibling position and gender) and leadership (leader and non-leader) determine Work Locus of Control. The sample consisted of 116 individuals answered the survey, consisting of background questions and the Work Locus of Control scale, WLCS. The results showed two significant differences between leadership and gender, regarding Work Locus of Control. Leaders and women had a higher internal Work Locus of Control than non-leaders and men, which confirmed the results from previous studies, but whit different result for women.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between birth order, academic performance and need for achievement. 166 students from Alvesta Gymnasium/ High school and Växjö Fria Gymnasium/ High school participated in the study. The result showed a significant correlation between birth order and study result, but unlike previous studies this study showed that it was the youngest siblings that had the best academic performance. Furthermore, a significant correlation between academic performance and need for achievement was found, also that higher need for achievement results in higher academic performance. The study also showed that there is a significant correlation between birth order and need for achievement, and it is the youngest children that have the highest need for achievement. Finally the study shows, in resemblance with previous studies, that sibship size has a negative effect on study results. Most prominent in this current study was that the number of brothers has a significant negative correlation with study result. / Syftet med denna föreliggande studie är att undersöka huruvida det finns samband mellan syskonplacering, studieresultat och prestationsbehov. 166 elever från Alvesta Gymnasium och Växjö Fria Gymnasium deltog i studien. Resultatet visade ett signifikant samband mellan syskonplacering och studieresultat, men i motsats till tidigare studier visar resultatet av föreliggande studie att yngstabarnen har högst studieresultat. Dessutom påvisades ett signifikant samband mellan studieresultat och prestationsbehov, där högre prestationsbehov leder till högre studieresultat. Slutligen visar studien, i likhet med tidigare forskning, att en stor syskonskara påverkar studieresultaten negativt. Mest framträdande i föreliggande studie är att antal bröder visar sig ha ett signifikant negativt samband med studieresultat.

The aim of this study was to investigate people’s ability to detect deception and if variables such as birth order, personality and suspiciousness affect this ability. The study was conducted at Växjö University with students as participants (n = 278). A film of two people arguing both for and against their own personal opinions was constructed and participants assessed credibility on a categorical scale (Honest/Dishonest). Neither birth order nor level of suspiciousness revealed significant differences as pertains to credibility attribution. In this study, personality traits showed small differences in that a low degree of Conscientiousness and possibly a high degree of Openness can predict lie bias (more correct classified lies). This study also showed that a truth and lie bias is predicted by positive respectively negative opinions. / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka eventuella skillnader mellan människor och deras förmåga att upptäcka vilseledande information. Syskonplacering, personlighet och misstänksamhet ställdes mot deltagarnas trovärdighetsklassificeringar. Studien genomfördes på Växjö universitet och deltagarna bestod av studenter (n = 278). En film med två personer vilka argumenterade för och emot sina personliga åsikter konstruerades där deltagarna bedömde trovärdighet genom en kategorisk skala (Ärlig/Oärlig). Inga skillnader fanns mellan varken syskonplacering eller misstänksamhet och trovärdighetsbedömning. Personlighet gav små skillnader i trovärdighetsbedömning genom att låg grad av Conscientiousness och eventuellt hög grad av Openness predicerade lögnbias (fler korrekt klassificerade lögner) i denna studie. Studien visade även att sannings- och lögnbias prediceras av positiva respektive negativa åsikter i talarens påståenden.

<p>The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between birth order, academic performance and need for achievement. 166 students from Alvesta Gymnasium/ High school and Växjö Fria Gymnasium/ High school participated in the study. The result showed a significant correlation between birth order and study result, but unlike previous studies this study showed that it was the youngest siblings that had the best academic performance. Furthermore, a significant correlation between academic performance and need for achievement was found, also that higher need for achievement results in higher academic performance. The study also showed that there is a significant correlation between birth order and need for achievement, and it is the youngest children that have the highest need for achievement. Finally the study shows, in resemblance with previous studies, that sibship size has a negative effect on study results. Most prominent in this current study was that the number of brothers has a significant negative correlation with study result.</p> / <p>Syftet med denna föreliggande studie är att undersöka huruvida det finns samband mellan syskonplacering, studieresultat och prestationsbehov. 166 elever från Alvesta Gymnasium och Växjö Fria Gymnasium deltog i studien. Resultatet visade ett signifikant samband mellan syskonplacering och studieresultat, men i motsats till tidigare studier visar resultatet av föreliggande studie att yngstabarnen har högst studieresultat. Dessutom påvisades ett signifikant samband mellan studieresultat och prestationsbehov, där högre prestationsbehov leder till högre studieresultat. Slutligen visar studien, i likhet med tidigare forskning, att en stor syskonskara påverkar studieresultaten negativt. Mest framträdande i föreliggande studie är att antal bröder visar sig ha ett signifikant negativt samband med studieresultat.</p>

<p>The aim of this study was to investigate people’s ability to detect deception and if variables such as birth order, personality and suspiciousness affect this ability. The study was conducted at Växjö University with students as participants (n = 278). A film of two people arguing both for and against their own personal opinions was constructed and participants assessed credibility on a categorical scale (Honest/Dishonest). Neither birth order nor level of suspiciousness revealed significant differences as pertains to credibility attribution. In this study, personality traits showed small differences in that a low degree of Conscientiousness and possibly a high degree of Openness can predict lie bias (more correct classified lies). This study also showed that a truth and lie bias is predicted by positive respectively negative opinions.</p> / <p>Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka eventuella skillnader mellan människor och deras förmåga att upptäcka vilseledande information. Syskonplacering, personlighet och misstänksamhet ställdes mot deltagarnas trovärdighetsklassificeringar. Studien genomfördes på Växjö universitet och deltagarna bestod av studenter (n = 278). En film med två personer vilka argumenterade för och emot sina personliga åsikter konstruerades där deltagarna bedömde trovärdighet genom en kategorisk skala (Ärlig/Oärlig). Inga skillnader fanns mellan varken syskonplacering eller misstänksamhet och trovärdighetsbedömning. Personlighet gav små skillnader i trovärdighetsbedömning genom att låg grad av Conscientiousness och eventuellt hög grad av Openness predicerade lögnbias (fler korrekt klassificerade lögner) i denna studie. Studien visade även att sannings- och lögnbias prediceras av positiva respektive negativa åsikter i talarens påståenden.</p>

Male androphilia (i.e., male sexual attraction to males) is an evolutionary paradox. It is unclear how genes for male androphilia persist given that androphilic males have lowered reproduction? Evidence suggests that ancestral androphilic males were transgendered. Hence, I address this paradox by focusing on a group of Samoan transgendered androphilic males (i.e., fa’afafine). Specifically, I show that male androphilia has consistent developmental correlates across Samoan and Western populations, indicating that fa’afafine provide a suitable model for the evolution of male androphilia across populations. In addition, I test hypotheses concerning the evolution of male androphilia. Fa’afafine’s mothers and grandmothers exhibit elevated reproduction. Also, compared to Samoan men and women, fa’afafine exhibit unique kin-investment cognition that would enhance indirect fitness. Elevated reproduction by female kin, and enhanced kin investments may, therefore, contribute to the evolution of male androphilia. Lastly, I outline a developmental model for this unique kin-investment cognition in androphilic males. / xvii, 201 leaves : ill. ; 29 cm

In this study we investigated the effects of birth order and gender on nonsuicidalself-injury and perceived parental support. This study’s main purposewas to challenge the current use of birth order in psychology. The studyincluded a short questionnaire assessing birth order, gender, perceived parentalsupport and non-suicidal self-injury. The questionnaire was distributed throughan online survey among young adults attending a university in a medium sizedcity in Sweden (N = 202). To explore the perceived parental support, we usedThe Social Provisions scale and non-suicidal self-injury was assessed by theDeliberate Self-harm Inventory, short 9-item scale. The results of these studiesshowed that birth order had no significant effect on non-suicidal self-injury orperceived parental support. On the other hand, the results suggested that genderhad a significant effect on non-suicidal self-injury, with females engaging onnon-suicidal injury more frequently than men. This contradicts earlier studieswhere no effect of gender has been present in young adults. Gender had noapparent effect on perceived parental support. / I denna studie undersökte vi effekten av placering i syskonskaran och kön påicke-suicidalt självskadebeteende och upplevt föräldrastöd. Denna studieshuvudsyfte var att utmana hur placeringen i syskonskaran används i psykologi.Studien inkluderade ett kortare frågeformulär som mätte placering isyskonskaran, kön, upplevt föräldrastöd och icke-suicidalt självskadebeteende.Frågeformuläret delades ut genom en online-baserad undersökning för ungavuxna som studerar på ett universitet i en medelstor svensk stad (N = 202). Föratt undersöka upplevt föräldrastöd använde vi oss av The Social Provisionsscale och icke-suicidalt självskadebeteende undersöktes av Deliberate SelfharmInventory, short 9-item scale. Resultatet av denna studie visade attplacering i syskonskaran inte hade några signifikanta effekter på varken ickesuicidaltsjälvskadebeteende eller upplevt föräldrastöd. Dock visade det sig attkön hade en effekt på icke-suicidalt självskadebeteende, då kvinnor hade enhögre prevalens att praktisera än män. Kön hade ingen uppenbar effekt påupplevt föräldrastöd.

Previous research has shown temperament to be stable throughout development and this effect remains when controlling for infant birth order. However, to our knowledge, there have been no investigations examining the direct relationship between temperament characteristics and birth order within the family. Because infant temperament has been shown to be related to maternal stress during pregnancy it stands to reason that mothers caring for multiple children while pregnant will experience more stress, and thus affect the temperament of their gestating offspring. Therefore, the first aim of the present investigation was to evaluate whether birth order was associated with infant temperament. Additionally, research has shown relationships between birth order and language; with second born children showing a significant advancement of language skills compared to first born children. However, no studies have investigated the relationship between birth order and gestural abilities. Because gestural abilities significantly predict language development, it stands to reason that birth order should also affect the gestural abilities of infants. Thus, the second aim of the current project was to evaluate the relationship between birth order and gestural abilities. Eighty-three children visited the lab at M = 15.45 months. Caregivers completed the Infant Behavioral Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R), the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory:Words and Gestures (MCDI-WG), and a demographic questionnaire concerning family size and birth order. In line with our first aim, we evaluated correlations between infant temperament and birth order. These analyses revealed a significant relationship between the temperamental superdimension of negative affectivity; specifically, the subdimension of sadness was the main factor driving the relationship between birth order and temperament. Next, to investigate whether birth order was related to gestural abilities, we analyzed correlations between birth order and the MCDI-WG categories of performing actions with objects, as well as imitation. This analysis revealed significant associations between birth order and both gestural categories. While these results were in line with our expectations, they remain to be supported by replication. However, should these results withstand tests of replication, they suggest interesting findings for both temperament and language research. First, these results suggest that later born children are at risk for a difficult temperament; however, the specific cause of this relationship is unknown, but could include prenatal stress, or stress during infancy such as less time spent with caregivers. Secondly, these results suggest that later born children are at a particular advantage. This advantage may be due to the fact that later born children, by virtue of their larger families, have a greater number of exemplars from which to learn gestures through observation.

Ontogeny of a human being is influenced by several innate and environmental factors. One of the key environmental factors is family, its structure, and the dynamics of family relationships. These can depend, among other things, on the birth order. Relatively a lot of research has been conducted to study the effect of birth order on humans, but the area of human sexuality is often neglected. Research in this area has so far yielded relatively inconsistent results and needs to be expanded further with new knowledge. That is the main goal of this diploma thesis. In our cross-sectional study, 4495 subjects from two-child families were analyzed. We performed a partial correlation analysis of birth order and selected variables related to human sexuality, considering the sex of siblings. Particular attention was paid to the first sexual experience, the number of sexual partners, sociosexual orientation (SOI-R), and dominant-submissive sexual preferences. We found that the order of birth is related to several of these variables (age of first sexual experience, number of sexual partners, sexual preferences), but the key role is played by the combination of the individual's gender and the sex of his sibling. These results should be followed up by more detailed research within specific families to verify the...