A new study has found that there is no correlation between the day of a person’s birth and their personality, thus debunking the popular “Monday’s Child” nursery rhyme.We have all heard the popular 19th century nursery rhyme known as “Monday’s Child” which describes certain characteristics to children born on certain days of the week, such as:
Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace. Wednesday's child is full of woe, Thursday's child has far to go. Friday's child is loving and giving, Saturday's child works hard for a living. But the child that is born on Sabbath day, Is bonny and blithe, good and gay
Attributed to the 1836 book, Traditions of Devonshire, by Anna-Eliza Bray, some people ascribe to the superstitious belief that one’s day of birth can influence them as much as the stars.But a new study by researchers at the University of York has found no truth to this superstition and reassures parents who might be concerned about how the messages in the rhyme might be affecting their children.
Senior author, Professor Sophie von Stumm from the Department of Education at the University of York, said in their news release: “In an age where parents are increasingly concerned about the messages children encounter, our findings offer reassurance: nursery rhymes like 'Monday's Child' are simply harmless fun. While many older tales and rhymes might seem out of step with modern values, our research indicates they don't have any long-term influence on children.”
The research team analyzed data from a large study of over 1,100 families with twins (the E-Risk study), which tracked siblings from age 5 to 18. They tested whether the rhyme's predictions held true by looking for three potential effects:
• Self-fulfilling prophecy: A child born on a Monday who is told they are "fair of face" might have higher self-esteem, and be more confident around others.
• Confirmation bias: A child born on a Wednesday who the rhyme claims is “full of woe” might believe they’re sadder than others because of their day of birth.
• Parental influence: Parents of a "Tuesday's child," who is said to be "full of grace," might be more inclined to enroll them in dance classes which would inadvertently shape the child’s development according to the rhyme’s predictions.
The good news is that none of these theories proved to be occurring in families.
“Despite these plausible theories, the study found no connection between the day of the week a child was born and their outcomes. Instead, the results reaffirmed that other factors—such as a family’s socio-economic background, the child’s sex, and their birth weight—are far more significant in predicting a child’s development,” the report states.
Even though the "Monday's Child" rhyme is well-known, apparently, it doesn’t seem to hold the same cultural sway as beliefs in the Zodiac where studies have shown can significantly shape a child’s life.
Lead author Dr Emily Wood, who conducted the research at the University of York, commented on the psychological appeal of such beliefs. “People like to have a simple explanation for their personality traits, a phenomenon exemplified by the long-standing popularity of astrology," she said. "Our study was a bit of fun, but it also reiterates that your family background and other environmental factors have a much greater influence on your life's path."
As long as parents and children are not ascribing superstitious beliefs to the prophecies in these nursery rhymes, Professor von Stumm believes it’s a great language and literacy booster, “so parents should absolutely continue to share them.”
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