Bronfenbrenner’s Development Ecological Model

Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological model is one of the most accepted explanations for the influence of social environments on human development. This theory argues that the environment you grow up in affects all facets of your life. Social factors determine the way you think, the emotions you feel and what you like and dislike.

From the beginning, Bronfenbrenner’s development ecological model has been a starting point for researchers in many different disciplines. For example, developmental psychology and sociology are drawn directly from this theory. Bronfenbrenner shared his idea with the world for the first time in 1979 in his book entitled The Ecology of Human Development . In this article you will learn the basic arguments of the theory.

Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological model

Urie Bronfenbrenner noticed that a child’s nature depends on the context in which they grew up. Thus, he decided to study which factors had the most effect on children’s development. Bronfenbrenner considered that the environment was composed of four continuous systems. He added a fifth system later in his career.

Because the five systems are interconnected, the impact on the child’s development from one system depends on its relationship to the others. Bronfenbrenner organized them in an order based on how much impact they have on a child.

If you change your environment, change to you. If you move to another country with a different culture, your identity will definitely change. The same can happen if your social role in one of the systems changes.

Here are the five systems in Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological model:

1. The microsystem

The microsystem consists of the groups that have direct contact with the child. Family and school are some of the most important, although there may be many other groups. The relationship between this system and the child’s development is obvious. However, the influence can go both ways.

The parents’ attitudes definitely affect who the child will end up being. But the child is also able to change the attitudes of family members. The same thing happens at school and all the other groups that make up the microsystem.

The Mesosystem

The second system in Bronfenbrenner’s model consists of the relations between the groups from the first system. The relationship between parent and teacher, for example, has a direct impact on the child.

3. The ecosystem

The third level also involves factors that affect a child’s life. However, the elements of this system do not have a direct relationship to them. An example of an ecosystem is the company where the child’s parents work. This will affect the parents’ views, how much free time they have, and their well-being. Consequently , the company also affects the child’s development.

4. The macro system

It contains the cultural elements that affect the child and everyone around them. A few examples would be cultural values ​​or an official religion.

In this case, the macrosystem affects development because it determines how the other systems can express themselves. Again, this is a case of indirect influence. It affects development because it changes the groups that directly affect the child.

5. The time system

Bronfenbrenner later added this system to his theory. It refers to the stage in life the person is in during the situations they are going through. For example, the death of a loved one has a very different effect on a young person as opposed to an older person.

Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological model is not perfect, but you can apply it in many fields of study. Although it does not take into account biological factors, it is one of the best explanations for the impact of the social environment on an individual’s life.