Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
The academic, personality, and physical outcomes of only children in China
1Population Research Center, University of Texas, Austin 78712.
Abstract:
Representative samples of 1,000 schoolchildren from 4 Chinese provinces were surveyed to compare the outcomes of only children to those of firstborn and later-born children. The children's ages ranged from 8 to 17 years, with half of the sample in the third grade and the other half in the sixth grade. 3 types of outcomes were considered. In terms of academics, differences between only children and others were found in 3 of the 4 provincial samples, with onlies being most likely to outscore others in verbal tests. In terms of personality evaluations, very few only-child effects were found. In 2 of the 4 provincial samples, only children were found to be taller or to weigh more than others. Taken together, these results suggest that the one-child policy in China is not producing a generation of "little emperors."
Related Concept Videos
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Adler's Individual Psychology
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
