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Ecological Theory by Bronfenbrenner

Urie Bronfenbrenner was an American psychologist who developed the Ecological Systems Theory, emphasizing that a child's development is influenced by various interconnected environments, including the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. His revised Bioecological Model focuses on proximal processes within immediate surroundings that affect growth over time. The theory highlights the importance of relationships and interactions in shaping a child's development, drawing parallels with other developmental theories.

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Anushka Singh
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44 views3 pages

Ecological Theory by Bronfenbrenner

Urie Bronfenbrenner was an American psychologist who developed the Ecological Systems Theory, emphasizing that a child's development is influenced by various interconnected environments, including the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. His revised Bioecological Model focuses on proximal processes within immediate surroundings that affect growth over time. The theory highlights the importance of relationships and interactions in shaping a child's development, drawing parallels with other developmental theories.

Uploaded by

Anushka Singh
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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● Urie Bronfenbrenner was an American psychologist who criticised earlier ideas

about child development, believing that studying children in unfamiliar lab


settings didn’t give an accurate picture. He pointed out that a child’s development
is shaped by many parts of their life that interact and influence each other. His
work looked beyond just the child, considering all the environments that play a
role in their growth. He created the ‘Ecological Systems Theory’ to explain how
these different environments impact a child’s development.

● His ideas share similarities with Albert Bandura’s social learning theory and Lev
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, both of which emphasise the importance of the
environment in a child’s development.

● Micro system : The microsystem is the first level of the ecological systems
theory. It includes the people and settings that directly interact with the child, like
parents, siblings, teachers, and classmates. Relationships in the microsystem
are two-way; the child is influenced by others and can also change their beliefs
and actions. A child’s reactions to people in their microsystem can affect how
those people treat them in return.These interactions are personal and important
for the child’s development. A strong, nurturing relationship with parents
positively impacts the child, while distant or unloving parents can have negative
effects.

Example : A child who gets encouragement from their parents while learning to ride a
bike is likely to feel confident and motivated. This support can help them approach new
challenges with a positive mindset. As the child makes progress, the parents may feel
encouraged to keep supporting them, strengthening their relationship. In contrast, if the
parents are critical or indifferent, the child may feel discouraged and less willing to try
new things, harming their self-esteem and growth.

● Meso system : The mesosystem includes interactions between the child’s


microsystems, like parents and teachers or peers and siblings. Microsystems are
interconnected, influencing one another, such as when parental communication
with teachers impacts a child’s development. Positive relationships between
parents and teachers benefit the child’s development, while poor relationships
can have negative effects.

Example : An example of this would be when a child’s parents and their soccer coach
collaborate to encourage the child’s participation in sports, positively influencing their
confidence and social skills.
● Exosystem : The exosystem includes various formal and informal social
structures that do not directly include the child but still have an indirect impact on
their development through the microsystems. Examples of exosystems are the
neighbourhood, parents’ workplaces, friends, and mass media. Although these
environments are outside the child’s immediate experience, they can still
influence them. For instance, if a parent has a conflict with their boss, they might
return home in a bad mood, which could negatively affect their child’s
development.

Example : An example of an exosystem is a parent’s workplace, as the stress or


experiences from their job can indirectly impact the child’s behaviour and emotional
well-being at home.

● Macrosystem : The macrosystem highlights how cultural factors—such as


socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and geography—impact a child’s development.
This system represents the broader social and cultural environment in which the
child grows, rather than focusing on the child’s immediate settings.

Example : An example of the macrosystem is how child-rearing differs across cultures.


In some cultures, independence is valued, so children are taught to make decisions
early. In others, family support is emphasised, leading children to rely more on family
guidance. These cultural values shape how children see themselves and relate to
others.

● Chronosystem : The chronosystem is the fifth and final level in the ecological
systems theory. It includes the environmental changes and life events that occur
over a person’s lifetime and impact their development, such as significant
transitions and historical events. These can be typical milestones, like starting
school, or unexpected changes, like parental divorce or relocating.

Example : An example of the chronosystem is how a family move to a new city affects a
child’s development. This change can impact the child’s friendships, school
environment, and overall sense of stability, shaping their social skills and emotional
resilience over time.

● Bioecological Model : Bronfenbrenner revised his theory in 1994, renaming it


the “Bioecological Model.” His focus shifted from external environmental
influences to the proximal processes of development—consistent interactions
within one’s immediate surroundings that impact growth over time. He
emphasised that understanding these processes requires examining the
individual, their context, and the developmental outcomes, as these interactions
affect people in different ways (Bronfenbrenner & Evans, 2000).

Example : An example of Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model is a child’s relationship


with their parent. If a parent consistently reads to their child every night, this interaction
(a proximal process) can positively influence the child’s language and cognitive
development over time. However, the impact of this reading time can vary depending on
the child’s interest, home environment, and support at school, showing how individual,
context, and outcomes all play a role in development.

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