| Society and culture can often place extreme burdens | | | | and demands. While they have little concern over |
| on the first-born child in a family. Being the eldest child | | | | social anxiety, the psychological need to maintain the |
| in the family often entails additional responsibilities, | | | | family's position often results in a form of |
| expectations, and demands. Different cultures exhibit | | | | performance anxiety, as the performance of the child |
| this tendency in varying degrees, though the added | | | | is inevitably compared to anything and everything |
| pressure and importance of the first-born has | | | | possible. In some cases, the child is compared to his |
| sometimes been seen as a universal trait. However, | | | | parents, though parents are more likely to compare |
| given the right psychological conditions, a first-born | | | | the child to his peers. |
| child can mentally collapse under such responsibilities, | | | | For members of royalty or long, noble bloodlines, |
| with effects ranging from developing an anxiety | | | | there is an even greater pressure. Those who are |
| disorder to severe case of performance anxiety. | | | | from so-called noble or aristocratic families sometimes |
| Parents from different countries and cultures usually | | | | grow up with a social anxiety that drives them to live |
| expect the first-born child to be the one to carry on | | | | up to the reputation of their forebears. People with |
| the family name, as well as help maintain the family's | | | | famous ancestors also feel the pressure of having |
| reputation. In the modern environment, this tends to | | | | the same achievements as those of their well-known |
| include the expectation of performing well in the | | | | predecessors. The problem comes when people |
| academic, personal, and professional realm. Children | | | | inevitably compare the ancestor to the descendant; a |
| are oftentimes expected to perform as well if not | | | | comparison that typically shows favor towards the |
| exceed the performance and achievements of their | | | | ancestor. This can sometimes cause a child to feel |
| parents. In some lower class families, the | | | | performance anxiety, rendering them unable or |
| expectation also includes bringing in the extra money | | | | unwilling to even attempt to achieve anything on |
| needed by the family for its daily survival. The eldest | | | | their own, fearing the "unfair" comparisons that they |
| son or daughter is also expected to help with the bills | | | | expect to come. |
| in the house as well to send the younger siblings to | | | | All of these demands and pressures can sometimes |
| school. These pressures generate resentment, | | | | come together to "snap" the first-born and make |
| frustration, and a deeply-rooted sense of status | | | | them lash out in a variety of ways. Some reject the |
| anxiety and social anxiety. | | | | responsibilities altogether and actively endeavor to be |
| For first-born children in the higher classes of a | | | | the exact opposite of what is expected of them. |
| particular society, the more prevalent problem is a | | | | Others develop an anxiety disorder that effectively |
| combination of status anxiety and performance | | | | cripples their ability to fulfill their duties, despite their |
| anxiety. The problem here stems not from the desire | | | | willingness to do so. A few decide to isolate |
| to better one's status, but to maintain the current | | | | themselves not only from society, but from their |
| status and preserve the family's collective social | | | | own families. In some instances, people have |
| reputation. As such, first-born children are groomed | | | | observed that the first-born exhibits what can only |
| to either be mirror images of their parents, or a | | | | be described as a fear of success, resulting from the |
| reflection of the hopes and dreams the parents had | | | | inability to cope with the high expectation that he |
| when the child was born. The personal identity | | | | was raised with and has blown out of proportion. In |
| becomes blurred with concepts such as filial duty and | | | | rare cases, the pressure builds to the point that the |
| social status, essentially fostering an individuality only | | | | only way to relieve it is to embrace ---- madness. |
| when it is in accordance with social and familial values | | | | |