Thanks for the reference to the sociological work of Dalton Conley Joanne. I will check it out. I of course rely on the scientific consensus from major reviews rather than any one view, but if he has empirical data in support of his views it may be he makes a valid point. I don't know if it's the same Dalton Conley you are referring to but here is one blurb I did find from him: *-------------------------------------------------- But Dalton Conley, author of "The Pecking Order," another book on the effects of birth order, says, "birth order makes about as much sense as astrology, which is almost none."
Conley explains in his book that a lot of other factors affect the behavior of first-borns and last-borns much more strongly. "Early death of a parent, timing of economic shocks to the family, gender expectations and roles in the family, you name it," Conley said, "outside influences, random events * birth order is basically at the bottom of that list." "It's just like astrology," he added. "When you see a good fit, you say, 'Hah! He's such a Gemini.' When you see a good fit, you say, 'hah, he's such a first-born, aggressive control freak,' but when it doesn't fit the mold you don't even notice it." Conley says Sulloway's data is quite selective, relying on cases that support his claims and ignoring those ...... Gerald L. (Gary) Peterson, Ph.D. Professor, Psychology Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI 48710 989-964-4491 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
