Dr. Feng, professor with the Central China University of Science and Technology, came to the conclusion after surveying more than 1,000 primary and middle school students and their parents in major cities in China.

The survey found that the first only-child generation did not show distinct personality defects as compared to other generations.

The one-child policy has been in place for nearly 20 years as a measure to control the population growth of the world’s most populous country. The first only-child generation is beginning to enter the workforce. A major question on the minds of the public concerns “Are they able to adapt to society normally?” Earlier social studies claimed that the children without siblings were healthier and more intelligent but less developed in aspects of personality and behavior than their peers with siblings.

The latest survey conducted by Dr. Feng concentrated on the personality, behavior, self-identification, independence, social skills, social norms and goals of the two groups.

Only-child students were more sociable than their counterparts in the contrast group, said the professor. The study showed that they were also more likely to make friends and communicate in middle school. They had more friends.

Dr. Feng interpreted the results as contradicting the popular belief that children without siblings are self-centered and unsociable.

He said that the belief was formed from studies of infants and pre-schoolers. Children without siblings felt compelled to make friends with people outside the family and thus became more sociable.

As for the independence aspect, the two groups did not display many differences. The only-child group said they were more used to biking around and cooking instant noodles for themselves. While the other group was more able to have their hair cut and shop for food on their own.

Dr. Feng pointed out that these differences will disappear as the children mature. Later in life, the only-child group will be more independent and more advanced in some other aspects than the other group, he added.

Only-child students in junior middle school said they tended to refuse to be identified as adults. But in senior middle school, their adult self-identification rose to the same level as non-only-child students. During this period, only-child students were more likely to associate with adults, which, according to Dr. Feng, was attributed to their social ability.

According to the survey, the only-child generation was weaker in the practical skills category, had less responsibility, and was lazier.

As for goals in life, they preferred to choose an intellectual occupation.

The so-called “only-child phenomenon” was more often a reflection of China’s new generation born from the 1980s, he noted.

(People’s Daily 01/05/2001)