Bronfenbrenner's

Ecological
Theory
Prepared by Nursofea
 Urie Bronfenbrenner

Russian-American psychologist
Graduated from Harvard University,
University of Michigan and Cornell
University
Introduced the ecological system
theory in 1979
Bronfenbrenner's Theory

“social context that influence

the child development”
Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory

Stage 1: The microsystem

Stage 2: The mesosystem
Stage 3: The exosystem
Stage 4: The macrosystem
Stage 5: The chronosystem
Microsystem
child interaction with immediate
environment
has direct contact with the child
directly influence the child
can affect the child the most
bi-directional influences
family, peers, school, friends
 Mesosystem
connection between individuals in
microsystem which in the end affect
the child
doesn’t direct influent the child, but
directly influent the microsystem
individuals
friends’ family, teacher with parents
Teacher has bad relationship with
parents => child affected
 Exosystem
external, exterior, exit
environmental elements which are not directly
involved with the child
third-party, does not have an active role
parent workplace, mass media, family friends, social
support system, school and government policies
government refuses to sponsor non-supporter schools => school
shut down
parent’s employer => parent’s mood and behavior
 Macrosystem
effects of cultural elements on the child’s
development
larger principles influence on the interactions of
all other layer
customs, laws, socioeconomic status, wealth,
poverty, politics and ethnicity
economy crash => lower family resources => parents function
political laws => decreased school funds => child’s education
culture beliefs => social acceptance => child’s personality
Chronosystem
role of time on the child’s development
can be external or internal
historical events, personal experiences,
major life transitions
sociohistorical - events happened in child’s
life
parents’ divorce, move house
social context that influence the
child development