Research Shows Younger Siblings May Be The Funniest, And They Know It

Anyone who is a younger or older sibling is familiar with the common effects such dynamics have on their personalities.

The baby of the family is often the entertaining center of attention while the oldest must set a more responsible, dignified example for a younger brother or sister.

A new poll conducted by British-based research firm YouGov has found that siblings perceive themselves just as the stereotypes suggest.

Researchers studied the personalities of the youngest and oldest children of British families, according to Metro, to determine which characteristics, mostly positive, they believe to have taken on.

And just as one would expect, younger siblings see themselves as the funnier, favored children while older siblings claim to be more successful and organized.

It's easy to imagine younger siblings being funnier since they typically aren't disciplined as much as older siblings and are used to being in the spotlight at family gatherings.

Older siblings are predictably more responsible because they've had more time to grow up and might have had to help care for a little brother or sister.

There was just a 3 percent difference, however, in terms of which sibling feels that he or she is the more relaxed of the two.

It seems younger siblings find security in relaxation and a sense of humor while the older sibling does the same by having more order in his or her life.

The theory of the younger sibling being funnier is supported by history, judging by the Guardian's list of younger-sibling comedians.

Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, Ellen DeGeneres and even the late, great Charlie Chaplin are all younger siblings.

Perhaps an even more interesting poll would seek to determine which negative qualities the two siblings are more likely to display.

The younger one would presumably be more spoiled, but it's hard to predict which one would be more aggressive, pretentious or moody.

Citations: The youngest sibling is the funniest (The Metro), Your younger sibling is funnier than you (The Guardian)