For decades, experts have conducted studies to better understand the correlation between our behaviors and the order in which we were born.
As far as stereotypes go, first-borns are often said to be natural born leaders. They're thought to be more responsible and determined, while those born later are often seen as mischievous, disobedient, and competitive.
Recently, studies backing up some of these claims have been published. In 2018, researchers at the University of Scotland gave first-borns an edge by revealing that they are smarter and have higher IQ scores.
A year prior, a collaborative study by MIT, Northwestern University and the University of Florida discovered that second-borns are more likely to become criminals, reinforcing some of the aforementioned stereotypes.
But these results don't necessarily mean that those who aren't born first don't have positive qualities. In fact, research by YouGov recently revealed an interesting fact about youngest siblings that will make first-borns jealous.
Based on the responses of about 1800 adult participants, the YouGov study found that youngest brothers and sisters are funnier than their older siblings.
Not only are the last-borns more humorous, they're aware of it too. 46% of the younger siblings surveyed said they were the funniest of their siblings. Also, about 17% of them agree that their parents favor them more.
The study brings up the question of why people feel that they fit these stereotypes, and the answer all comes down to parenting.
The first child often feels more pressure from their parents to be successful and set a good example for their younger siblings. While the "last-born" may also get equal attention from mom and dad, they tend to be more coddled because they're regarded as the "baby" of the family.
"It turns out to be true that the oldest child in a family feels a greater weight of responsibility, while the youngest child feels a higher level of breathing room," said the study's authors.
In case you needed a little bit more convincing, just remember that some of the funniest people in the world are among the youngest in their family. Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Jim Carrey, Stephen Colbert, and Ellen DeGeneres are all the youngest child.
