Jeffrey Kluger's Thesis On Parents And Children

The author claims that your “parents had a favourite child - and if you have kids so do you.” His thesis is that child favouritism “is hardwired into all of us.” Describe THREE different arguments the author makes to support his thesis. You may cite study results, expert opinions, or statistics from the article as evidence. In your answer, label each argument 1, 2, or 3.

The article “Playing Favourites” by Jeffrey Kluger, states that child favouritism is hardwired into all of us, and is supported with numerous accounts of studies that provide credible evidence. The following arguments reinforce Kluger’s thesis.

Parents tend to provide the healthiest offspring with their more favored attention. The most conspicuous sign is physical appearance.

What traits do parents seem to value most in their opposite sex children?

Parents who favour their opposite sex children has little to do with gender, but more aligned with traits that are similar to their parents. For ambitious or successful parents, kids who follow in their parents footsteps tend to be favoured by that particular parent. A term labeled as “Reproductive Narcissism”, mentioned within the article, is referring to the idea that if a child does not look like you, they can at least act like you, and share the same qualities.

Which children in the birth order have the highest chances of becoming the favourite?

Typically the oldest, or youngest tend to have the best chance of becoming the favorite. The oldest child may fall in favor with each parent due to having the most uninterrupted time spent with each parent before another child enters the family. As a result, the bond created between the oldest child and the parents is unbreakable and most likely irreplaceable. However, there is also a strong chance that the youngest child may be the favored one due to being the last baby of the

In the wild, animals tend to leave behind the most vulnerable offspring, deeming the youngest to be a liability to the strength of the group. But for humans, although sharing intuitive animals habits with the animal kingdom, caring for the most vulnerable is a trait considered human. This act of special treatment of a vulnerable child would be deemed counterintuitive, a trait that is characteristically