Relationship between birth order, assertiveness and academic success

Margarin, Nina . (2009). Relationship between birth order, assertiveness and academic success. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology. [mentor Zarevski, Predrag].

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Abstract

Assertiveness is a form of behaviour which can be very useful in everyday life. Upbringing has an important role in its development and thus birth order may be prominent factor. The aim of this research was to establish whether there is an influence of birth order on assertiveness and academic success. Furthermore we aimed to verify whether there is a relation between assertiveness and academic success. Participants were second grade high school scholars (N = 261, consisting of 139 female and 121 male). The measuring instrument used in this study was Revised questionnaire of shyness and assertiveness USA-r (Zarevski and Vukosav, 2003). According to the results of previous research (Sulloway, 1996; Eckstein, 2000) firstborns were assumed to have the best results in assertiveness and academic success. Significant relation was not found between birth order and assertiveness and academic success, although a trend exists which suggests that, among men firstborns are most assertive, while among women only children achieved the lowest scores. Other groups were relatively equal. Furthermore, only children in the total sample showed to have the best academic success. In addition, a statistically significant relationship between assertiveness and academic success was not determined. Research on the birth order did not give uniformed results and presents a challenge to researchers, because of a number of difficulties in controlling the relevant factors which may occur and consequently affect the results.

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