Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory
Urie Bronfenbrenner - He formulated the Ecological Systems Theory to explain how social environments affect children ’ s development
Ecological Systems Theory - This theory emphasizes the importance of studying children in multiple environments, known as ecological systems, in the attempt to understand their development.
Parts of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory -
CHILD
Microsystem(Immediate Environment)
Mesosystem(Connections)
Exosystem(Indirect Environment)
Macrosystem(Social and Cultural Values)
Chronosystem(Changes Over Time)
Microsystem - smallest and most immediate environments, have direct contact with the child in their immediate environment. comprises the home, school or daycare, peer group and community
Mesosystem - encompasses the interaction of the different microsystems which children find themselves in. It is, in essence, a system of microsystems and as such, involves linkages between home and school, between peer group and family, and between family and community
Exosystem - linkages that may exist between two or more settings, one of which may not contain the developing children but affect them indirectly nonetheless. people and places that children may not directly interact with may still have an impact on their lives. Such places and people may include the parents ’ workplaces, extended family members, and the neighborhood the children live in.
Macrosystem - largest and most distant collection of people and places to the children that still have significant influences on them composed of the children ’ s cultural patterns and values, specifically their dominant beliefs and ideas, as well as political and economic systems.
Chronosystem - adds the useful dimension of time to Bronfenbrenner ’ s ecological systems theory influence of both change and constancy in the children’s environments, include a change in family structure, address, parents ’ employment status, as well as immense society changes such as economic cycles and wars.
significant findings of Urie Bronfenbrenner - possible for siblings who find themselves in the same ecological system to experience very different environments.
TAKEAWAYS in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory -
Through the various ecological systems, Bronfenbrenner ’ s theory demonstrates the diversity of interrelated influences on child development. Awareness of the contexts that children are in can sensitize us to variations in the way children may act in different settings.
Bronfenbrenner ’ s ecological systems theory views child development as a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of the surrounding environment, from immediate family and school settings to broad cultural values, laws, and customs.
To study a child’ s development, we must look at the child and their immediate environment and the interaction of the larger environment
The microsystem is the most influential level of the ecological systems theory. This is the most immediate environmental setting containing the developing child, such as family and school.
Analysis Point - Bronfenbrenner also suggested that to understand the effect of these proximal processes on development, we have to focus on the person, context, and developmental outcome, as these processes vary and affect people differently (Bronfenbrenner & Evans, 2000).
Parts of Analysis Point -
Person
context
Developmental outcome
proximal development processes - meaning the enduring and persistent forms of interaction in the immediate environment.
The Bioecological Model - His focus shifted from environmental influences to developmental processes individuals experience over time.
Urie Bronfenbrenner - He formulated the Ecological Systems Theory to explain how social environments affect children ’ s development
Ecological Systems Theory - This theory emphasizes the importance of studying children in multiple environments, known as ecological systems, in the attempt to understand their development.
Parts of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory -
CHILD
Microsystem(Immediate Environment)
Mesosystem(Connections)
Exosystem(Indirect Environment)
Macrosystem(Social and Cultural Values)
Chronosystem(Changes Over Time)
Microsystem - smallest and most immediate environments, have direct contact with the child in their immediate environment. comprises the home, school or daycare, peer group and community
Mesosystem - encompasses the interaction of the different microsystems which children find themselves in. It is, in essence, a system of microsystems and as such, involves linkages between home and school, between peer group and family, and between family and community
Exosystem - linkages that may exist between two or more settings, one of which may not contain the developing children but affect them indirectly nonetheless. people and places that children may not directly interact with may still have an impact on their lives. Such places and people may include the parents ’ workplaces, extended family members, and the neighborhood the children live in.
Macrosystem - largest and most distant collection of people and places to the children that still have significant influences on them composed of the children ’ s cultural patterns and values, specifically their dominant beliefs and ideas, as well as political and economic systems.
Chronosystem - adds the useful dimension of time to Bronfenbrenner ’ s ecological systems theory influence of both change and constancy in the children’s environments, include a change in family structure, address, parents ’ employment status, as well as immense society changes such as economic cycles and wars.
significant findings of Urie Bronfenbrenner - possible for siblings who find themselves in the same ecological system to experience very different environments.
TAKEAWAYS in Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory -
Through the various ecological systems, Bronfenbrenner ’ s theory demonstrates the diversity of interrelated influences on child development. Awareness of the contexts that children are in can sensitize us to variations in the way children may act in different settings.
Bronfenbrenner ’ s ecological systems theory views child development as a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of the surrounding environment, from immediate family and school settings to broad cultural values, laws, and customs.
To study a child’ s development, we must look at the child and their immediate environment and the interaction of the larger environment
The microsystem is the most influential level of the ecological systems theory. This is the most immediate environmental setting containing the developing child, such as family and school.
Analysis Point - Bronfenbrenner also suggested that to understand the effect of these proximal processes on development, we have to focus on the person, context, and developmental outcome, as these processes vary and affect people differently (Bronfenbrenner & Evans, 2000).
Parts of Analysis Point -
Person
context
Developmental outcome
proximal development processes - meaning the enduring and persistent forms of interaction in the immediate environment.
The Bioecological Model - His focus shifted from environmental influences to developmental processes individuals experience over time.
