Sister

Lore & Background

The English word sister comes from Old English sweostor, which is cognate with Old Norse systir, both deriving from Proto-Germanic *swestēr, all having the same meaning. Some studies have found that sisters display more traits indicating jealousy around their siblings than brothers. In some cultures, sisters are afforded a role of being under the protection of male siblings, especially older brothers, from issues ranging from bullies to sexual advances. In some quarters, the term sister has gradually broadened its colloquial meaning to include individuals stipulating kinship; in response, some publishers prefer the usage of 'female sibling' over sister to avoid equivocation. Males with a twin sister sometimes view her as their female alter ego, or what they would have been like if they had two X chromosomes. A study in Perth, Australia found that girls having only younger brothers resulted in a chastity effect: losing their virginity on average more than a year later than average, hypothesized as being attributed to a combination of social and biological factors.

Reader's Guide

Various studies have shown that older sisters are likely to give a varied gender role to their younger siblings, as well as being more likely to develop a close bond with them. Older sisters are more likely to play with their younger siblings. Younger siblings display more needy behavior when near their older sister and are more likely to be tolerant of an older sister's bad behavior. Boys with only one older sister are more likely to display stereotypically male behavior, and such masculine boys increased their masculine behavior with the more sisters they have. The reverse is true for young boys with several sisters, as they tend to be feminine, though they outgrow this by pubescence. Boys with older sisters were less likely to be delinquent or have emotional and behavioral disorders. A younger sister is less likely to be scolded by older siblings than a younger brother. The most common recreational activity between older brother/younger sister pairs is art drawing. Some studies also found a correlation between having an older sister and constructive discussions about safe sexual practices. Some studies have shown that men without sisters are more likely to be ineffectual at courtship and romantic relationships.

Did You Know?

• The English word sister comes from Old English sweostor, cognate with Old Norse systir, both from Proto-Germanic *swestēr.
• Some studies have found that sisters display more traits indicating jealousy around their siblings than brothers.
• A study in Perth, Australia found that girls with only younger brothers lost their virginity on average more than a year later than average, with researchers hypothesizing a combination of social and biological factors.
• Boys with older sisters were less likely to be delinquent or have emotional and behavioral disorders.