On the influence of birth order on personality

Abstract

Canziani's article examines the influence of birth order on personality formation, with particular attention to the methodological aspects of psychological research. The author analyzes how position in the fratria influences identification processes, family dynamics, and parental expectations, emphasizing the complexity of distinguishing the effect of birth order from other structural and contextual variables. The relevance of Adlerian theories known to date is discussed, suggesting the need for a multidimensional and longitudinal research approach to fully understand the role of birth order in personality development, avoiding oversimplification and valuing the complexity of family dynamics