Ecological Systems Theory

Microsystem

The child’s immediate environment and the people they interact with directly every day, such as parents, siblings, teachers, classmates, and caregivers.

Mesosystem

The relationships and connections between parts of the microsystem, such as how home life affects school performance or how parents communicate with teachers.

Exosystem

Settings the child is not directly part of, but that still influence the child indirectly, like a parent’s workplace, community services, or school board decisions.

Macrosystem

The larger social and cultural environment that shapes development, including values, beliefs, laws, customs, traditions, and economic conditions.

Chronosystem

The effect of time on development, including major life changes, historical events, transitions, and how circumstances change across a person’s life.