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Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory proposes that a child's development is influenced by various environmental systems, ranging from immediate to broad social structures. These systems include the microsystem of direct relationships with family, peers, and school; the mesosystem of connections between microsystems; the exosystem of structures like parents' workplaces that indirectly impact children; and the overarching macrosystem of cultural values and customs. A child's development is shaped by bidirectional interactions within and between these nested environmental layers over time.

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Vaishnavi Kamalakannan
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5K views14 pages

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory proposes that a child's development is influenced by various environmental systems, ranging from immediate to broad social structures. These systems include the microsystem of direct relationships with family, peers, and school; the mesosystem of connections between microsystems; the exosystem of structures like parents' workplaces that indirectly impact children; and the overarching macrosystem of cultural values and customs. A child's development is shaped by bidirectional interactions within and between these nested environmental layers over time.

Uploaded by

Vaishnavi Kamalakannan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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  • Introduction to Ecological Systems Theory
  • Overview of Theory
  • The Four Layers
  • Critique
  • Implications for Education

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological

Systems Theory
Question!

 How does the world around the child


help or hinder development?
Ecological Systems Theory
Development is the result
of the relationships between
people and their
environments.
Implications
 Cannot evaluate a child’s development only in
the immediate environment.
 Must also examine the interactions among
the larger environments that a child develops
in.
The FOUR layers
 Microsystem: Relationships with direct contact to
the child
 Mesosystem: Connection between relationships of
child’s microsystem
 Exosystem: Structures in which child the child does
not have direct contact
 Macrosystem: Cultural context
Based on Bronfenbrenner, U. 1979. The Ecology of Human Development. Cambridge: Harvard
University Press.
Microsystem
Variables that the child is directly exposed to
 Relationships: Family, school, religious
institution, neighbors
 Family: Most influential and durable influence on
child
 Environment: Geographic, Material structures
 Child’s body
 General health
 Brain functioning – physiological and psychological
 Emotions
 Cognitive System
 Most of the child’s behavior is learned in the
microsystem
 The microsystem consists of bi-directional
influences
 Parents actively shape the development of the child
 Children actively shape their environment
 Personal attributes influence responses from other
people
 Children actively select and avoid specific environments
 Bi-directional relationships are the foundation for a
child’s cognitive and emotional growth
Mesosystem
Interconnections between the microsystems
 Interactions between the family and teachers
 Relationship between the child’s peers and the
family
Exosystem
Institutions of society that indirectly affect a child’s
development
 Parent’s workplace
 Funding for education
 These impact a child’s development by influencing
structures in the microsystem
Macrosystem
 Cultural context
 Provides the values, beliefs, customs, and laws of the
culture in which a child grows up
 Influences how parents, teachers, and others raise a
child
 May be conscious or unconscious
 Influences the societal values, legislation, and financial
resources provided by a society to help families
function
 Influences the interactions of all other layers
Properties of the four layers
 Each layer has an effect on a child’s development
 Each layer is complex
 Conflict within any layer ripples throughout other
layers
Critique
 Strengths
 Integrates multiple influences on child development
 Weaknesses
 Does not provide detailed mechanisms for
development
Implications for Education
 Primary relationship must be intended to
last a lifetime
 Teachers need to work to support the primary
child-adult relationship
 Schools should create an environment that
welcomes and nurtures families
 Education should foster societal attitudes that
value all work done on behalf of children

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory
Question! How does the world around the child help or hinder development?
Ecological Systems Theory Development is the result of the relationships between people and their environments.
Implications Cannot evaluate a child’s development only in the immediate environment. Must also examine the interactions
The FOUR layers Microsystem: Relationships with direct contact to the child Mesosystem: Connection between relationships o
Based on Bronfenbrenner, U. 1979. The Ecology of Human Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Microsystem Variables that the child is directly exposed to Relationships: Family, school, religious institution, neighbors
Most of the child’s behavior is learned in the microsystem The microsystem consists of bi-directional influences Parents
Mesosystem Interconnections between the microsystems Interactions between the family and teachers Relationship between the
Exosystem Institutions of society that indirectly affect a child’s development Parent’s workplace Funding for education T

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