2.4: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory
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This page is a draft and is under active development.
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Ecological Systems Theory
Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) was a Russian born American psychologist. He (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) developed the Ecological Systems Theory as a framework in order to understand the complex system influencing human development. His theory suggested that children's development is affected by the environments that they encounter, including biological, interpersonal, societal, and cultural factors. The theory emphasizes the importance that people and their environment have together as interdependent systems.
Within Bronfenbrenner's (1979) theory are five ecological systems. While these are defined as five distinct systems, the systems work together and interact between each other. Below are the systems and what they are as defined by Bronfenbrenner (1979):
A description of either an immediate surrounding of an individual or a broader societal structure that impacts an individual's development.
Microsystem
The microsystem is any environment or relationship that has a direct effect on the child. This includes who the child interacts with often, such as parents, teachers, friends, home, and school. Those individuals and environments within the microsystem accounts for the experiences that have a direct affect on the child, helping to shape their learning, values, and beliefs.
Mesosystem
I like to joke that the mesosystem is "messy," however this joke I have found helps to explain why this level can be confusing to understand. The mesosystem describes the different relationships and interactions that everything in the microsystem has. As an example, the systems that are mentioned in the microsystem all work together even if the child is not there. The teacher and parents still have communication between each other, even if the child does not see it. A child's friends at school know each other and may engage even if the child is not at school on a given day. While these interact with or without the child, they also impact the child directly as the child's parents and teachers may agree on goals they want the child to reach or the child's friends may create a game they teach to the child when they return to school.
Exosystem
The exosystem does not directly interact with the child, however has direct impacts on a child's development. The exosystem includes organizations and social contexts, such as community resources, where your parents work and their insurance/healthcare, and local and federal policies and governing bodies.
Macrosystem
The macrosystem includes values, social norms, customs, cultural beliefs, and traditions. The macrosystem shares how beliefs may be based on location, groups who share the same beliefs, and may vary due to socioeconomic status.
Chronosystem
The chronosystem is the final layer and is time. The role of time influences development as children grow, engage in experiences that shape them, encounter transitions (such as moving or gaining a sibling), or if there is a historical or societal change.
References:
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard university press.