Customer Reviews

Birth Order Effect: How to Better Understand Yourself and Others

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Psychotherapist Cliff Isaacson truly has the answers to people's problems. He's developed a revolutionary new approach to understanding personality. I am amazed at how much I use his insights with family, friends, and even business associates--his techniques really work!

Forget everything you might have heard about birth order. Cliff's new theories are the best I've ever seen--and I am a psych major--because they really work! He's mind is like an x-ray machine that can see to your very core. No more weeks or years of therapy or analysis to solve problems!

His work is truly groundbreaking--it will change marriages, families, friendships, businesses--maybe even the world!

All my friends are fascinated with this practical, useful material. You will be, too!

Interesting information, and I recognize people I know and have worked with in these "birth order" profiles, but it isn't really about birth order. The author says so himself - that these profiles are based on five "scripts" from Transactional Analysis that he then compared to his five children, and that you don't have to be a first-born (for example) to fit the first-born profile. If so, then why not call them what they are? As "birth order" personalities, they're worthless and misleading, and don't really fit anyway.

I have a master's degree in counseling psych, have studied Alfred Adler (who pioneered the theory of birth order), read a lot on the subject, and have used it a lot in my work and relationships. Isaacson's "new theory of birth order" isn't new, it's not his, and it is not about birth order.

Even as a layman, this has almost no use. Just for fun, my son and I both took Isaacson's quiz to see what birth order we would be identified as, and the scores were unenlightening. Both of us had almost equal numbers for each of the five profiles, meaning we couldn't conclude which was our true "birth order" according to his quiz. We both fit all five, even though my son and I are quite different in some important and obvious ways. I'm a true second-born of four, my son - though also second-born and having a few of the characteristics - is a classic youngest child. By the way, Isaacson claims there is no "youngest" personality.

And as if this weren't enough, there are typos all over the place.

I have read quite a few books and magazine articles on the subject of birth order dynamics, and this is the one that stands out for me. Isaacson began noticing birth order effects in his work as a counselor. As he studied what other researchers had come up with on the subject, he had the perfect vehicle in his counseling practice, day-in-and-day-out, to refine the theories. Very down to earth and practical. I like the fact that he keeps birth order dynamics in perspective, always acknowledging the many other variables in life that affect our personalities.

Where some other writings about birth order are too general and only categorize into only child, first born, middle born, and last; Isaacon is very specific in his identification of five personalities: only child, first born, second, third, and fourth born. An important element in his book is the idea that these labels, based on chronological birth order, usually correspond with a person's birth order -- but not always.

If you've never read anything on the birth order effect you'll be blown away. It's fun to look at yourself, your siblings, parents, and grandparents with a new level of understanding. Understanding bosses, co-workers, marraige mates will be easier. You'll find yourself noticing the birth order effect with everyone you meet and deal with. For me, it's one of those insightful books that once you've read it, you can't imagine going through life without having read it.

Although the information may be true, the manner of writing, in the third person all the time, "Isaacson says...., Isaacson found..., just puts one to sleep. The book by Lehman is written in the first person and is much more entertaining.

This book is awesome! Not only is it cheap but great. If you are thinking on buying it do it. You wont regret it.

I thought the book was good, but didn't answer all the questions I had because I scored fairly high for three different birth orders. I was never sure if that was a good or bad thing. However, I found the material, as it was presented, to be interesting and worthwile.

it's a very interesting book to read. alot of information and insights.

I am glad that Clifford has published this book and others. I know Clifford and some of the hard work he has put into birth order, as I have counseled with him. After reading this book and others of his, and counseling with him, it sure has made my life a lot easier, first by understanding myself, and then buy being able to understand why others act and react as they do. And being able to interact with people on a more personal level has made many relatonships stronger. Thank you Clifford!