[INTJ] INTJ Poll: What's Your Birth Order?

[Jwill]

There's been some mention about INTJs often being eldest or only children. I was just curious to know what birth order other INTJs on this forum claim.

Just to be clear, sometimes long spaces of time between siblings can affect individuals differently. You could, technically, be the youngest, but because of a 10 year age difference between your elder siblings, you identify more as an only child.

Birth order intrigues me because I have never fit my supposed birth order personality. I got a lot of guff from one of my teachers in 3rd grade because I didn't fit the typical "youngest" personality type. "She should be out-going and adventurous," said my teacher. I'm only three years younger than my next sister, so I'm not an artificial only child. So, I guess I'm kind of interested in birth order and also kind of skeptical of it.

Anyway, take the poll. I'm curious about the breakdown of the results. I think Myers-Briggs is more accurate, more often than birth order assessments, but I'm still curious to know how everyone fits.

 

[Hendo Barbarosa]

I'm the eldest in my family, and I've often thought about this same question, whether or not the responsibility thrust upon me caused me maybe to think more in terms of life holding that kind of assumed responsibility and necessity for strategy. As far as more details go, I was the eldest of four boys, and when my youngest brother was born I can remember being recruited to help out with diaper-changing and other baby-maintenance tasks, in my family that was kind of just a given factor.

 

[Shaula]

Biologically I am the middle child but I was raised as an only child.

 

[DigitalMethod]

I am the youngest out of two.
I have one older brother, who is six years older.

 

[EmilyEccentric]

Biologically I am the middle child but I was raised as an only child.

That's kind of how I was raised. I was the only girl between two boys, and I was raised differently, and I also got to do ore fun things because my brothers are total social retards. :rolli:

 

[ceecee]

Eldest of two. My brother is two years younger.

 

[Bougal]

My INTJ dad and brother are the eldest, and they both have one younger sister. I am an ENTJ and my aunt is an INxJ.

 

[pippi]

I'm the eldest.

You won't have a very large sample size here but on another forum full of INTJs there was a similar poll with 104 responses. 50% were the eldest, 14.5% middle, 19% youngest, and 16.5% were only children. There was also a poll only asking if you were an only child and the result of 169 responses was No 75% and Yes 25%. Just in case you wanted some more data.

 

[Jwill]

I'm the eldest.

You won't have a very large sample size here but on another forum full of INTJs there was a similar poll with 104 responses. 50% were the eldest, 14.5% middle, 19% youngest, and 16.5% were only children. There was also a poll only asking if you were an only child and the result of 169 responses was No 75% and Yes 25%. Just in case you wanted some more data.

Yes, very interesting. Much better sample size!

The thing I think is interesting about some of the posts so far is that a lot of the people still felt like they were raised differently or they were basically an only child because of certain factors. So, family dynamic is often much more indicative of type than simple birth order.

Like me, for example. I'm the youngest (order is boy, girl, girl, girl), and I feel in many ways like a youngest child. However, my siblings are all about two years apart, while I'm four years younger than my closest sibling. On top of that, the next two oldest siblings are sisters who were so close in age that they were always involved in the same things, while I was off doing my own thing as a kid.

 

[INTJMom]

There's been some mention about INTJs often being eldest or only children. I was just curious to know what birth order other INTJs on this forum claim.

Just to be clear, sometimes long spaces of time between siblings can affect individuals differently. You could, technically, be the youngest, but because of a 10 year age difference between your elder siblings, you identify more as an only child.

Birth order intrigues me because I have never fit my supposed birth order personality. I got a lot of guff from one of my teachers in 3rd grade because I didn't fit the typical "youngest" personality type. "She should be out-going and adventurous," said my teacher. I'm only three years younger than my next sister, so I'm not an artificial only child. So, I guess I'm kind of interested in birth order and also kind of skeptical of it.

Anyway, take the poll. I'm curious about the breakdown of the results. I think Myers-Briggs is more accurate, more often than birth order assessments, but I'm still curious to know how everyone fits.

I agree with you about birth order. It's often accurate, but often not, so it's not like you can really use it for much. But it's still interesting to read. I own one of Dr. Kevin Leman's books on it.

 

[INTJMom]

Yes, very interesting. Much better sample size!

The thing I think is interesting about some of the posts so far is that a lot of the people still felt like they were raised differently or they were basically an only child because of certain factors. So, family dynamic is often much more indicative of type than simple birth order.

Like me, for example. I'm the youngest (order is boy, girl, girl, girl), and I feel in many ways like a youngest child. However, my siblings are all about two years apart, while I'm four years younger than my closest sibling. On top of that, the next two oldest siblings are sisters who were so close in age that they were always involved in the same things, while I was off doing my own thing as a kid.

I wonder if Ixxx parents tend to have only one child more than Exxx parents do? Some of the type stuff being genetically passed on, I wonder if it sort of generates itself?

 

[Halla74]

I'm the youngest, my older brother is 9.5 years older than me, my middle name should be "Accident."



Even though I am the "good mood maker" of the family, and show some signs of immaturity as stereotyped of youngest siblings, I am more mature and responsible in many ways than my older brother. Not trying to be sanctimonious, just reflecting.

Birth order means alot. My wife is an only child and I'll tell you what it's a good thing that I am a fun loving, patient person!

 

[01011010]

Eldest

 

[Moiety]

I'm the youngest, my older brother is 9.5 years older than me, my middle name should be "Accident."

You got nothing on me. My older brother is 11 years older than me.

He's certified INXX, although I think he might be INXJ.

 

[Halla74]

You got nothing on me. My older brother is 11 years older than me.

He's certified INXX, although I think he might be INXJ.

Oh yes I do, proportionally your brother is just 2 years older than mine is to me. That doesn't mean that I don't have anything on you.

I feel sorry for you if he's an INXJ. Just keep him in line and don't take any shit.

 

[GargoylesLegacy]

The oldest, also the only *girl*. The other people are 3 - x years younger.

 

[Jwill]

I wonder if Ixxx parents tend to have only one child more than Exxx parents do? Some of the type stuff being genetically passed on, I wonder if it sort of generates itself?

I don't think that the low percentages of introverts is due to natural selection, at least not in that way. I think that introverts are people that are likely not to get married and have kids at all. Sometimes I-types are just happier alone. But type is also very dependent on nuture-methods. In Asian countries the ratio of extroverts to introverts is opposite of America, and I think that has a lot more to do with cultural practices rather than genetics.

But anyway, my parents are both introverted, and they have four children. I'm introverted, and I don't want to have just one child when I start a family. I'd like 3 kids. Being introverted doesn't mean you don't like having people around per se. We introverts don't HATE people. We just recharge our batteries by having alone time.

 

[Misty_Mountain_Rose]

Just in case this might help shed some light on your search, here are some stats from the questionaire linked in my signature.

Of all respondents who were 'Eldest' or 'Only Children' (These included 'perceived' eldest children where ages differences were larger), 73% of them were NT's.

Of the NT's, 64% of them were INTP's, not INTJ's.


To make sure you have an idea of the results set, 49% of ALL respondents were Eldest Children, and 48% of ALL respondents were NT's so its hard to say whether these would hold true if we had more S responses. (We're sorely lacking, which isn't unusual since N's are more apt to be involved in MBTI study )

 

[Jgib5328]

I'm an only child and I definitely feel like it's contributed to my INTJness. It made me independent, self-sufficient, and probably more internal as a person. I love being an only child, and wouldn't change it for the world.

 

[Erudur]

Birth Order Plus - Intro to Birth Order

I really like this guys stuff on birth order.

He identifies 5 birth order personalities - only, first, second, third, fourth. Different from MBTI he calls birth order influences more as coping mechanisms than temperament.

By this guys stuff, I am Only personality, but I am the oldest of two with a close in age younger brother. When an Only doesn't transition to First born personality, the second child will be Only child personality too. This rings true for my brother and I.