British researchers have found scientific evidence supporting the notion that the oldest sibling is more likely to be successful, The Guardian reported.
In a study of over one thousand groups of siblings, researchers found that when it comes to female siblings, the eldest female is more likely to be ambitious and more successful than her siblings. The study found similar results for firstborn males.
"There are several possible explanations for the higher attainment and ambition of the eldest," Feifei Bu, from the University of Essex's Institute for Social and Economic Research who led the study, said according to The Guardian. "It could be that the parents simply devote more time and energy to them- it could be they are actually more intelligent."
The study focused on 1,503 sibling groups and 3,532 individuals. Researchers found that the eldest child was 16 percent more likely to continue on with higher education than their younger siblings. Eldest females were 13 percent more ambitious than firstborn boys. The results were the same when the parent's education and professional status was taken into account, the newspaper reported.
Bu and her team also realized that parents are more likely to have all of their children be successful if they waited four years between each child.
"I would say that the larger the age gap between children, the better the qualifications," Bu said according to The Guardian. "I don't think the number of children is something I can say anything about, as this study was done here in the UK, where family size tends to be smaller, so there was no substantial difference to note."
There are many prominent firstborns that give further credit to the study, including President Barack Obama, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, JK Rowling, Mick Jagger and Hillary Clinton.
Bu also admitted to having a personal interest in the study, the newspaper reported.
"I'm the firstborn, of course," Bu said.
