Eldest siblings score higher in IQ tests than younger brothers and sisters because they get more mental stimulation from parents

　　长子长女在智商测试中比弟弟妹妹的得分更高，因为父母给予了他们更多的脑力刺激。

　　They may be jokingly referred to as PFBs – precious first borns – on popular parenting websites, but a study says first-born children really do reap the benefits of being number one.

　　在流行育儿网站上，人们将长子长女戏称为宝贝老大，然而研究发现家中老大确确实实享受到了第一个出生的好处。

　　Research by the University of Edinburgh has found that first-born children have superior thinking skills to their younger siblings because they get more mental stimulation from their parents.

　　爱丁堡大学的研究发现，家中老大的思考能力比弟弟妹妹更加优秀，其原因在于父母对家中老大进行了更多的脑力刺激。

　　While the study found that parents give all their children the same levels of emotional support, the first-born generally received more help with tasks that develop thinking skills.

　　研究发现，尽管父母会给予所有子女以同等的情感支持，但是在提升思考能力的任务上，家中老大获得了更多帮助。

　　Economists at the University of Edinburgh, Analysis Group and the University of Sydney examined survey data collected by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and found that first-borns scored higher than siblings in IQ tests as early as age one.

　　爱丁堡大学的经济学家，安诺析思国际咨询公司以及悉尼大学在共同研究美国劳工统计局收集的数据后发现同为一周岁时，家中老大的智商测试分数比弟弟妹妹更高。

　　The study, published in the Journal of Human Resources, observed nearly 5,000 children from pre-birth to age 14, with children assessed every two years.

　　研究报告发表在了《人力资源杂志》上，研究人员对5000个孩子的观察从他们出生前一直延续到14岁，并每两年进行一次分析。

　　Researchers said the findings went some to way explaining the so-called birth order effect – which means children born earlier in a family have better wages and higher levels of education later in life.

　　研究人员表示这一发现在某种程度上解释了所谓的出生顺序效应--家中出生较早的孩子日后的薪酬水平与受教育程度都会高出一筹。

　　First-born children scored higher on tests including reading, matching letters, names, reading single words aloud and picture vocabulary tests.

　　家中老大得分较高的测试包括阅读﹑匹配字母﹑名字﹑大声朗读单词和图片词汇测试。

　　Researchers also gathered information on environmental factors such as family background and economic conditions.

　　研究人员还收集到一些关于环境因素的信息，比如家庭背景和经济状况。

　　The study found parents changed their behaviour as they had more children, giving less mental stimulation and taking part in fewer activities like reading with the child, crafts and playing musical instruments. Mothers also took part in more risky behaviours such as smoking during pregnancy with subsequent children.

　　研究发现，随着孩子越来越多，父母的行为也在发生变化，脑力刺激减少，亲子阅读﹑制作手工﹑演奏乐器等活动的次数也在下降。母亲以后的怀孕期间时候也更有可能做出抽烟这样的冒险举动。

　　Dr Ana Nuevo-Chiquero, of Edinburgh University’s school of economics, said: “Our results suggest that broad shifts in parental behaviour are a plausible explanation for the observed birth order differences in education and labour market outcomes.”

　　爱丁堡大学经济学院的Ana Nuevo-Chiquero教授说：“我们的研究结果表明，父母行为发生的广泛变化似乎可以合理解释出生顺序的不同是如何为孩子们带来在教育程度和劳动力市场成就上的差异。”

　　The research suggests the advantages start early – with children showing increased ability from just after birth to three years of age. The differences increased slightly with age, and were revealed in test scores that measured verbal, reading, maths and comprehension skills.

　　研究表明，这种优势很早便显露迹象--从出生伊始到三岁，这段时期孩子们的能力在不断增强。这种差异随年龄增长而缓慢扩大，这在语言﹑阅读﹑数学和理解能力的测试分数中有所体现。

　　First-borns do have some disadvantages, however. A study published in 2015 suggested that they were up to 20% more likely to develop short-sightedness than their younger siblings.

　　然而家中老大也面临着一些劣势。2015年发表的一项研究表明家中老大目光短浅的可能性要比弟弟妹妹高20%左右。

（编辑：何莹莹）