ABSTRACT
The influence of siblings on a child's early development is recognized by social scientists and the lay public alike. From birth on, an infant may be treated differently by parents and others depending on its position in the sibling structure of the family. Thus, a first-born boy may receive qualitatively different parenting than a later-born girl, and so on. Soon the infant grows old enough to begin interacting directly with any siblings who have already been born into the family. Through the preschool years, the young child is likely to share most waking hours with whatever brothers and sisters there may be. Behavior patterns of an older sibling may be imitated, play activities may be dictated by a sibling, and so on. Gradually, the child's intellectual and personality characteristics are shaped by the combination of differential parental treatment and the interactions with siblings.
