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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Nicola Davis Science correspondent

Sibling rivalry: parents favour older children and daughters, study finds

Two sisters and their younger brother
It is bad news for sons: two sisters and their younger brother. Photograph: Vandervelden/Getty Images

As Philip Larkin once noted, your mum and dad have a lasting effect on you. Now, researchers have revealed which siblings in a family are more likely to be favoured: it is bad news for sons.

Researchers have found daughters, older children and those who are more conscientious or agreeable are likely to receive preferential treatment.

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