Family Constellations and Eminence: The Birth Orders of Nobel Prize Winners

Abstract

Biographical data on 197 Nobel Prize winners were used to examine the relationship between birth order and eminence in various fields. Two new findings are presented: eminent scientists appeared to be earlier born than eminent nonscientists, even when family size is controlled, and laureates who won their prizes later in the century appeared to be later born, when family size is controlled. The first finding raises the question of whether there are different kinds of creativity and/or achievement-orientation required for different kinds of eminence; the second finding raises the issue of how declines in family size have benefitted later-borns.