Flesh and Blood: Sibling Rivalry

Family Relations: Love/Hate Relationships Among Siblings (03:01)
Social scientists follow British children from birth to age 20. Siblings Bernie and James learn that love and hate exists side-by-side in their relationship. Their mother struggles to keep the children with her.

Siblings in Abusive Environment (04:03)
Siblings James and Bernie have different fathers. James' father, violent and abusive, disrupts their lives by kidnapping James. To test children's sensitivity towards their siblings, researchers set up an experiment.

Sibling Rivalry: Competition for Attention (04:31)
Eighteen-month-old twins Charles and Alice do not welcome the newcomer, William. From the start William fights to get attention from his parents and siblings. Competitive William often beats Charles in physical contests.

Long-Term Effects of Sibling Conflicts (02:27)
Younger brother William physically attacks brother Charles, twin to Alice. Though older, Charles fares less well in most competitions and suffers emotionally. Scientists discover that sibling conflict is more harmful than previously thought.

Identical Twins/Identical Environments/Different Personalities (03:38)
Identical twins Alex and Ivo are being raised with two of everything, including toys, books, furniture--and imaginary friends. What they do not share, however, is how they see each other. Ivo sees no separation between the two, but Alex does.

Identical Twins: Brothers or Friends? (02:04)
In an experiment, Alex and Ivo choose to be with different people in different situations. Identical twin Ivo always chooses brother Alex, but Alex always chooses other friends. He knows this makes Ivo sad.

Only Child: Social Difficulties (03:19)
Het Shah, an only child, lives in an extended family, but spends most of her time on her own. Her limited English skills isolate her at school. Her social skills are not fully developed, as she has limited experiences with siblings or other children.

Only Child: Parental Challenges (01:29)
Without other children to compare Het to, Het's parents are concerned about her behavior, even considering sending her to a boarding school in India. Het's aunt arrives to help Het adjust better to discipline and social situations.

Family Crises: Effects on Siblings (03:13)
Baby brother James is separated from his sister after James's dad kidnaps him and threatens his mother. His sister Bernie misses him and he misses his sister. The father continues to threaten James's mother, so she gets a court injunction against him.

Sibling Rivalry: Parental Attention (04:19)
Same-sex children close in age have a greater risk of sibling rivalry, though a stronger factor is temperament. Experiments with unequal distribution of parental attention reveal varying levels of impulsive behavior in children wanting more attention.

Sibling Rivalry: Lasting Effects into Adulthood (04:43)
Matthew and Robert, two years apart, have a close bond with each other. Their parents consciously plan activities for the boys to do together. Adult siblings who bond in youth generally stay friends in their adulthood.

Sibling Relationships Under Stress (03:41)
In a controlled situation, siblings are exposed to a stressful situation to see how they bond, react together, react alone, and/or conspire together. Working together against a common threat doubles their chances of coping with an uncertain world.

Siblings, Parents, and New Babies (03:35)
Siblings who create a united front may challenge parental authority. An only child is happy to discover that a new baby will come into the family. Eldest and youngest siblings share their views of their family's pecking order.

Siblings: Brother's Keeper (03:14)
Elder brother Robert takes his responsibilities for watching out for his little brother very seriously. When Robert falls ill, the family meets the situation head on together.

Birth Order: Distinct Personality Traits? (02:59)
An experiment reveals that the effect of birth order is an inexact science.

Siblings in Stressful Situations (01:53)
Carole, mother of Bernie and James, visits with her scattered siblings. In times of stress, a volatile relationship is better than no relationship. Carole considers moving her to children closer to their aunt and uncle.

Rival Siblings: Together and Apart (02:55)
Rival siblings William and Charles thrive at first when Charles goes to a different school and William enjoys more of mother's attention. Soon, though, the boys miss each other. An experiment tests siblings' willingness to cooperate.

Siblings: Brotherly Love (02:37)
Identical twins Alex and Ivo have separate classrooms, but check in with each other throughout the day. Alex, the less dependent twin, seeks out his more dependent brother to walk home.