Abstract
This study investigated the influence of birth order on the personality traits and
academic performance among 207 junior secondary school students in
Akwanga, Nasarawa State. Sixty-three first-borns, 50 middle-born children, 41
last-borns, and 53 only children, who shared the mean age of 12.4years (SD =
4.9), were purposively selected for this study. Students Class Average (SCA)
scores were recorded and the big-five personality traits of the students were
assessed with ten item personality inventory (TIPI). Results indicate that
participants of different birth order positions differ significantly in terms of the
big-five personality but did not differ significantly in terms of academic
performance (p = 0.56). Also, the dominant personality (dimensions) is
conscientiousness attributed to the first-born child (P = 0.003). Moreover, first-
born child and last-born child had lower agreeableness compared to only-child
(P = 0.002) and the middle-born child has higher openness to experience
compared to other birth order positions (P < 0.001). It is therefore concluded
that the different personality traits encounter among siblings is the result of
birth order position