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Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
What Your Birth Order Says About You (& Why It's Not Set in Stone)
Birth order may play a bigger role in shaping who you are than you even realize. From the stereotypical elder, middle, and youngest sibling traits to the unique qualifications that shake things up, birth order theory is just one way to explain what makes you, you! Explore the phenomenon and see how it lines up with you and your family's personalities. Psychotherapist Alfred Adler was the first to propose a theory on how birth order impacted personality. Birth order theory suggests that birth order can affect the developing personality of a child. Eldest children, youngest children, middle children, and only children all fall into statistical groups with similar personality traits. That's not to say that every child will display every trait (or even any trait) associated with their place in the birth order; only that there's a statistical correlation that seems to suggest the probability that a child's ranking in birth order may result in certain traits that are common to other children of the same ranking. The sections below list characteristics of birth order that are often common to children of the same rank in birth order. It's important to note that these characteristics aren't set in stone and that just because your child falls into a certain rank in the birth order doesn't mean that he or she will display all, or even any, of the characteristics outlined. The unique position of the only child in a household of adults often results in a number of common personality traits: Close relationship with parents Natural born leaders Possess a high level of self-control Communicate and get along well with adults Can be demanding Can be spoiled and self-absorbed May feel a sense of "specialness" May feel they are being treated unfairly if they don't get their own way May be quite sensitive Often mature and dependable Often very private in nature Likes being the center of attention Will often "divide and conquer" parents in order to get what they want May relate better to adults than peers Famous only children include Robin Williams, Natalie Portman, Tipper Gore, Rudy Giuliani, Alan Greenspan, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Kareem-Abdul Jabbar. The oldest child is the only child for a period of time and can often show similar traits to only children; however, being the oldest of a group of siblings also may bring about other personality traits including the following: People pleasers Natural leaders High achievers Conformist Might be bossy or a know-it-all Are often very organized and prompt Might be overachievers They may behave in a very authoritarian manner, especially towards younger siblings May seek attention - in both positive and negative ways Often controlling May become compliant and nurturing Famous first borns include Oprah Winfrey, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, and Arsenio Hall. More than half of the American presidents have been first born children. Related: Middle children generally display similar personality characteristics, although middle child traits are more likely to appear in children who are in the middle of three than in middle children of larger families. Some middle child characteristics include the following: Flexible Easy-going Independent May be an excellent mediator or negotiator May feel that life is unfair May feel unloved or squeezed out by siblings Can be highly adaptable Often generous and sociable May try to differentiate themselves from the eldest sibling through behaviors and interests May perceive that the oldest and youngest child as the parents' "favorites" Might be rebellious Engage in attention-seeking behaviors May be extremely competitive Famous middle-born children include Donald Trump, Tim Allen, Rosie O'Donnell, and Julia Roberts. The baby of the family is often looked on as a carefree and spoiled position in the family. Characteristics of youngest children include: Often silly or funny Can display risk-taking behaviors Are often creative Can be very self-centered Often feels inferior as if everyone else is bigger and more capable Is highly competitive Can become bored easily Are usually friendly and outgoing with a terrific sense of humor Expect others to care for them and take responsibility for them Will often ally with the oldest sibling against the middle sibling (if three children) Can be equal parts charming and manipulative May be very idealistic Famous youngest children include Howard Stern, Ralph Nadar, and Jay Leno. There's psychological reasoning behind birth order and the different personality traits of siblings, but certain scenarios and situations could change these characteristics, including: Gender can throw off the typical birth order structure if the first two children born are different genders. When this happens, they often both have the personality traits of the oldest child. As for a large family, if there is one boy (or one girl) in the family, that child will not be in their typical birth order role. Or if a family displays favoritism or places more value on one gender over another, the dynamic will be different as well. If there are five or more years between siblings, the birth order role will not apply. Since the age between siblings is so great, it is considered a new start or 'new family' with a 'new firstborn'. When siblings are born one to two years apart, there may be more conflict and competition especially if they are the same gender. The ideal age difference between siblings tends to be three to four years. They are still close in age but can still have their own identity and interests. The older sibling naturally tends to be domineering and bossy towards their younger siblings. But if they are close in age and the younger sibling eventually outgrows or outsmarts the older sibling, the dynamic can change. When a younger sibling has a stronger, more confident disposition or temperament than their older sibling, this may throw off the birth order role. If a younger sibling is an overachiever in school or excels exponentially in sports or music, they tend to get special, even priority treatment, and birth order tends to shift. Another scenario is a sibling who has a disability and needs special care. Often these situations will alter the birth order role as well. The birth order role doesn't typically apply to twins. They have a special position in the family and tend to operate independently of the traditional birth order roles. When families are blended due to remarriage, the sibling dynamic can be incredibly confusing and complicated depending on the ages of the children. It's not unusual for the children to need some time to establish themselves in their new family hierarchy. From astrology to birth order, there are so many ways we can explain how we were quite literally born this way. While these characteristics might align with who you are, don't let them define you! Birth order might have had an influence on shaping you, but there's more to who you are then the position you were born in.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Can we rely on AI chatbots for our mental well-being?
In psychology, empathy is crucial because it fosters understanding, compassion, and strong relationships. It allows individuals to connect emotionally and create a more supportive and harmonious society. Alfred Adler, founder of the School of Individual Psychology, once described empathy as 'Seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.' Today, artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are being explored by psychologists to make therapy more accessible for patients, improve interventions, and aid in training new clinicians. However, despite AI's potential, there is cause for concern. In tests, chatbots have spread misinformation, professed their inner desires, and even sexually harassed patients, all of which have prompted leaders in tech and science to call for a pause. The traditional approach in therapy refers to the established methods and practices used in the field of psychology and mental health treatment. This often involves face-to-face sessions, using psychological theories and techniques to address mental health issues and focus on an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Traditional therapy demonstrates significant effectiveness in improving mental health. Many studies consistently show that psychotherapy, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other forms of face-to-face therapy, can be highly effective in treating a wide range of mental health issues. Studies indicate that face-to-face therapy is effective for many mental health issues. According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, 50% of all clients had improved symptoms after they received a face-to-face mental health treatment in eight sessions, with 75% experiencing improved symptoms by six months. Ultimately, human connection is the foundation of the relationship between the therapist and patient. When a patient feels connected to their therapist, they are likely to engage in therapy and see improvements in their mental health. Although traditional therapy works, there is a shortage of mental health practitioners around the world. In February 2024, the US Health Resources and Services Administration estimated that 122 million Americans lived in areas with a shortage of mental healthcare providers. It is estimated that the country needs about 6,000 clinicians to cover the gap. Therapists' work and patient load have risen in response to increased demand. According to the American Psychological Association, the percentage of therapists working overtime before the pandemic grew from 31% in 2020 to 38% in 2022. Amid this increasing workload, more psychologists fail to meet the treatment demands of their patients. Across the pond, in 2022, the NHS reported a shortage of 2,000 qualified therapists in the UK. A general practitioner in the UK stated in response to a British Medical Association survey: 'Mental healthcare in this country is dysfunctional. It's broken.' In response to the shortage of practitioners, many therapists and patients are resorting to AI chatbots for therapy and mental health support. AI chatbots are large language models (LLMs) that can provide mental health support through automated conversations and therapeutic exercises. Apps like Woebot, Youper, and had over a million downloads in 2024. These chatbots have been used to support people dealing with mild depression, loneliness, anxiety, and other mental issues. When people come to them with a problem, these bots respond in ways a therapist might—they ask questions and suggest coping mechanisms. While AI chatbots might seem like a useful and cost-effective way of addressing mental health issues, there is one hurdle they will likely never overcome: a chatbot will never possess' human emotions, no matter how convincingly it mimics them. Emotions in humans are complex phenomena, deeply intertwined with our sensory and motor systems, influencing our decisions and behaviors. In contrast, AI systems lack an intrinsic emotion module, which fundamentally differentiates AI from human intelligence. Also, AI is dependent on the context and pre-existing data to which it has access, meaning that any biases existing in that content will manifest in the AI's responses. As a result, the integration of AI chatbots raises the possibility of racist, sexist, ageist, and other types of biased responses finding their way into conversations and inappropriate responses. Ultimately, while AI offers human-like responses, chatbots will never understand and express human emotion. This poses a substantial challenge when applied in psychology and therapy, which are built on human interaction, trust, emotional intelligence, and a sense of mutual understanding. Educators will need to consider the accuracy and reliability of AI, as well as privacy and data security in psychology. "Can we rely on AI chatbots for our mental well-being?" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
