Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems

Theory

Background and History:

◦ Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) is
a Russian psychologist who became
famous for his ecological system theory.

BY: DYNA CONSTANTINO BACARO

What is Bronfenbrenner's main theory?

Bronfenbrenner's theory defines complex “layers” of

environment, each having an effect on a child's
development.... The interaction between factors in the
child's maturing biology, his immediate
family/community environment, and the societal
landscape fuels and steers his development.
Early Life
Born in Moscow, Russia in 1917
Family moved to the U.S. when Bronfenbrenner was
six years old to Pennsylvania and later settled in upstate
New York
Bronfenbrenner’s father worked as a physician for a
“New York institution for the developmentally
disabled” (Brendtro, 20606), where young Urie became
interested in the frustrations his father faced working
with healthy children sent to the institution.
Career
Studied at Cornell with a double major in psychology and music
Received his master’s degree at Harvard
Received his doctorate in developmental psychology from the
University of Michigan.
Urie joined the U.S. Army and worked with Kurt Lewin as a
psychologist evaluating candidates for secret duty (Brendtro).
Urie became a professor at both Cornell and Michigan
Bronfenbrenner finished his professional career as a professor at
Cornell, which named their College of Home Ecomonics to
College of Human Ecology in his honor
Work
Bronfenbrenner is credited with
Head Start Program
This program targets lower income children and provides
them with resources for education before they begin school
Bronfenbrenner developed the Ecological Systems Theory
Bronfenbrenner was widely published, with over 300
articles and 14 books (Bendtro, 2006).
Personal Life

Married Liese Price Bronfenbrenner and lived in New

York with his wife
Urie and Liese Bronfenbrenner had six children
together as well as many grand and great grand children
Urie passed away in 2005 in Ithaca, New York
The Five Ecological Systems

Bronfenbrenner (1977)
suggested that the environment
of the child is a nested
arrangement of structures, each
contained within the next. He
organized them in order of how
much of an impact they have on
a child.
The Structure
The Microsystem
The microsystem is the first level of Bronfenbrenner's theory, and are the things
that have direct contact with the child in their immediate environment, such as
parents, siblings, teachers and school peers.

Relationships in a microsystem are bi-directional, meaning the child can be

influenced by other people in their environment and is also capable of changing
the beliefs and actions of other people too.

Furthermore, the reactions of the child to individuals in their microsystem can

influence how they treat them in return.

The interactions within microsystems are often very personal and are crucial for
fostering and supporting the child’s development.

If a child has a strong nurturing relationship with their parents, this is said to
have a positive effect on the child. Whereas, distant and unaffectionate parents
will have a negative effect on the child.
The Mesosystem

The mesosystem encompasses the interactions between the child’s

microsystems, such as the interactions between the child’s parents and
teachers, or between school peers and siblings.
The mesosystem is where a person's individual microsystems do not
function independently, but are interconnected and assert influence upon
one another.For instance, if a child’s parents communicate with the
child’s teachers, this interaction may influence the child’s development.
Essentially, a mesosystem is a system of microsystems.
According to the ecological systems theory, if the child’s parents and
teachers get along and have a good relationship, this should have
positive effects on the child’s development, compared to negative
effects on development if the teachers and parents do not get along.
The Exosystem
The exosystem is a component of the ecological systems theory developed by
Urie Bronfenbrenner in the 1970s. It incorporates other formal and informal
social structures, which do not themselves contain the child, but indirectly
influence them as they affect one of the microsystems.
Examples of exosystems include the neighborhood, parent’s workplaces,
parent’s friends and the mass media. These are environments in which the child
is not involved, and are external to their experience, but nonetheless affects
them anyway.
An instance of exosystems affecting the child’s development could be if one of
the parents had a dispute with their boss at work.
The parent may come home and have a short temper with the child as a result
of something which happened in the workplace, resulting in a negative effect
on development.
The Macrosystem

The macrosystem is a component of Bronfenbrenner's ecological

systems theory that focuses on how cultural elements affect a child's
development, such as socioeconomic status, wealth, poverty, and
ethnicity.
Thus, culture that individuals are immersed within may influence their
beliefs and perceptions about events that transpire in life.
The macrosystem differs from the previous ecosystems as is does not
refer to the specific environments of one developing child, but the
already established society and culture which the child is developing in.
This can also include the socioeconomic status, ethnicity, geographic
location and ideologies of the culture.
For example, a child living in a third world country would experience a
different development than a child living in a wealthier country.
The Chronosystem

The fifth and final level of Bronfenbrenner's ecological

systems theory is known as the chronosystem.
This system consists of all of the environmental changes
that occur over the lifetime which influence development,
including major life transitions, and historical events.
These can include normal life transitions such as starting
school but can also include non-normative life transitions
such as parents getting a divorce or having to move to a new
house.
THANK YOU!!!
EXERCISES
1. Which system relates to how things change overtime?
a. Exosystem b. Macrosystem c. Chronosystem d. Microsystem
2. What is Macrosystem example?
a. It is the connections between children's home environments and school settings in terms of how
these two systems interact and influence children's development.
b. essentially are the things that are in the child's immediate surroundings and connections.
c. is the larger culture as a whole and includes socioeconomic status, wealth, poverty, and ethnicity.
3. Cultural beliefs and values are included in which system?
a. Mesosystem b. Macrosystem c. Microsystem d. Exosystem e. chronosystem
4. ______is the environment/people which the child is not involved with but influence by.
a. Exosystem b. Macrosystem c. Microsystem d. Chronosystem e. Mesosystem

5. On this ecological theory in classroom application, teachers should,

a. Communicate well with their students b. encourage exploration of belief
c. respects students privacy d. all of the above.