LAFAYETTE TODAY
Susan and Matt on “Today”—Your Birth Order and You
Susan Averett, professor and head of economics and business, was interviewed live May 4, 2006 by Matt Lauer on NBC’s “Today” show about her research that links birth order and teens’ risky behavior. The research appears in the April edition of the journal Economic Inquiry.
Averett’s study, “Birth Order and Risky Adolescent Behavior,” was also featured in USA Today April 25. In addition, the Boston Globe reported on the study, and Averett has been interviewed by several radio stations.
“New research on birth order suggests that just having an older sibling can be a negative influence on younger children in the family,” the USA Today article said. Averett’s research “seeks to understand how teens get involved
in risky behaviors that can have long-term economic consequences. It finds that the very
existence of an older sibling increases the chances a younger sibling will drink, smoke, use marijuana or have sex.”
Previous studies have failed to provide convincing evidence that birth order is related to test scores, education, or earnings. However, according to the study, middle borns and last borns
are more likely to use substances and be sexually active than first borns.
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