Being a 'middle seat child' can spell success in later life

Sitting in the middle seat has long been considered as pulling the short straw; siblings and family members pin you in on both sides, you’re robbed of a window seat and there’s limited leg room.

However, new research conducted for the ŠKODA Octavia, shows that being a middle seat child may well set you up for success in later life, particularly in business.

Research released today has found that 90 per cent of people that hold 'director' level positions sat in the middle seat, while nearly three quarters (72 per cent) of business owners and over three fifths (62 per cent) of senior managers also found themselves squashed between brothers and sisters when on the road.

These developments are inherently linked to personality traits middle seat kids develop growing up. ŠKODA's Octavia research shows that 72 per cent of middle seat kids from Plymouth are now described as easy going while reasonable (20 per cent), patient (28 per cent), level headed (24 per cent) and adaptable (8 per cent) all scored highly for Plymouth residents. Of all UK middle seat kids, four fifths attribute their work-life success, in part, to their childhood car position.

Consultant child psychologist and mother to three children, Laverne Antrobus, comments: “This research by ŠKODA into family car journeys is really interesting; cars are a unique environment and a lot can be revealed when everyone is forced together in a small space. It’s interesting to see how a seating position in the back of the car, often over many years, can directly reflect or influence our personalities. Whether middle seat children were forced into the position or not by other family members, they end up acquiring and reaffirming positive traits which prove real value to them as they develop into adults, particularly in their careers.”

Seating positions don't cause as many arguments in Plymouth (36 per cent of people) as they do across the rest of the UK (43 per cent of people). It's no surprise then that, 90 per cent of Plymouth's middle seat kids actually enjoyed their lot - far higher than the national average of 66 per cent. Moreover, 8 per cent of Plymouth respondents have kept their allocated position from family road trips.

Alasdair Stewart, head of brand at ŠKODA UK, comments: “As thousands of families take to the roads this bank holiday weekend, we were keen to shine a spotlight on the millions of family interactions that happen in the ŠKODA Octavia every day across the UK. It’s been fascinating to see how in-car dynamics such as seating positions can impact on us as people.”

The ŠKODA Octavia is not just your everyday family car. It was named What Car? Family Car of the Year in 2015.The ŠKODA Octavia is available from £16,525 OTR for a ŠKODA Octavia Hatch.