The Middle Child Is Important ... And Disappearing

Is there a middle child in your family? If so, how do you describe them? The diplomat, the peacemaker, the rebel, the people pleaser? While the middle child has a hodge podge of descriptions and stereotypes, researchers have argued for decades there are trends when it comes to personality and status within the family.

The middle child is also disappearing, a stark change in trends since the 1970s. Today, nearly two-thirds of mothers have either one or two children.

In this segment for "The Why," Newsy's Chance Seales explored the debate of what, if anything, it means to be the middle child. He also spoke with Adam Sternbergh, culture editor for New York Magazine.

"The Why" airs on the Newsy channel Monday through Thursday nights from 7-9 p.m. Click here to check your local listings.