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What is Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory?

PUBLISHED DATEMAY 3, 2019

LAST MODIFIED DATEJULY 27, 2019

AUTHORPSYCHOLOGY NOTES HQ

American psychologist, Urie Bronfenbrenner, formulated the Ecological Systems Theory to explain how
the inherent qualities of children and their environments interact to influence how they grow and
develop. The Bronfenbrenner theory emphasizes the importance of studying children in multiple
environments, also known as ecological systems, in the attempt to understand their development.

According to Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, children typically find themselves enmeshed
in various ecosystems, from the most intimate home ecological system to the larger school system, and
then to the most expansive system which includes society and culture. Each of these ecological systems
inevitably interact with and influence each other in all aspects of the children’s lives.

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model organizes contexts of development into five levels of external
influence. These levels are categorized from the most intimate level to the broadest.
bronfenbrenner theory

The Bronfenbrenner Ecological Model: Microsystem

The Bronfenbrenner theory suggests that the microsystem is the smallest and most immediate
environment in which children live. As such, the microsystem comprises the daily home, school or
daycare, peer group and community environment of the children.

Interactions within the microsystem typically involve personal relationships with family members,
classmates, teachers and caregivers. How these groups or individuals interact with the children will affect
how they grow.

Similarly, how children react to people in their microsystem will also influence how they treat the
children in return. More nurturing and more supportive interactions and relationships will
understandably foster they children’s improved development.

One of the most significant findings that Urie Bronfenbrenner unearthed in his study of ecological
systems is that it is possible for siblings who find themselves in the same ecological system to experience
very different environments.

Therefore, given two siblings experiencing the same microsystem, it is not impossible for the
development of them to progress in different manners. Each child’s particular personality traits, such as
temperament, which is influenced by unique genetic and biological factors, ultimately have a hand in
how he/she is treated by others.

The Bronfenbrenner Ecological Model: Mesosystem

The mesosystem encompasses the interaction of the different microsystems which children find
themselves in. It is, in essence, a system of microsystems and as such, involves linkages between home
and school, between peer group and family, and between family and community.
According to Bronfenbrenner’s theory, if a child’s parents are actively involved in the friendships of their
child, for example they invite their child’s friends over to their house from time to time and spend time
with them, then the child’s development is affected positively through harmony and like-mindedness.

However, if the child’s parents dislike their child’s peers and openly criticize them, then the child
experiences disequilibrium and conflicting emotions, which will likely lead to negative development.

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The Bronfenbrenner Ecological Model: Exosystem

The exosystem pertains to the linkages that may exist between two or more settings, one of which may
not contain the developing children but affect them indirectly nonetheless.

Based on the findings of Bronfenbrenner, people and places that children may not directly interact with
may still have an impact on their lives. Such places and people may include the parents’ workplaces,
extended family members, and the neighborhood the children live in.

For example, a father who is continually passed up for promotion by an indifferent boss at the workplace
may take it out on his children and mistreat them at home.

The Bronfenbrenner Ecological Model: Macrosystem

The macrosystem is the largest and most distant collection of people and places to the children that still
have significant influences on them. This ecological system is composed of the children’s cultural
patterns and values, specifically their dominant beliefs and ideas, as well as political and economic
systems.

For example, children in war-torn areas will experience a different kind of development than children in
peaceful environments.

The Bronfenbrenner Ecological Model: Chronosystem

The Bronfenbrenner theory suggests that the chronosystem adds the useful dimension of time, which
demonstrates the influence of both change and constancy in the children’s environments. The
chronosystem may include a change in family structure, address, parents’ employment status, as well as
immense society changes such as economic cycles and wars.

By studying the various ecological systems, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory is able to
demonstrate the diversity of interrelated influences on children’s development. Awareness of the
contexts that children are in can sensitize us to variations in the way children may act in different
settings.

For example, a child who frequently bullies smaller children at school may portray the role of a terrified
victim at home. Due to these variations, adults who are concerned with the care of a particular child
should pay close attention to his/her behavior in different settings, as well as to the quality and type of
connections that exist between these settings.

Comments

Related posts:

Havighurst’s Developmental Tasks Theory

Moral Development in Children

Sigmund Freud’s Psychosexual Theory

Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development

Kurt Lewin’s Psychological Field Theory

Categories:Developmental Psychology

21 Responses

Comments 21

Pingbacks 0

DeAnn Marsh says:

January 19, 2016 at 7:28 AM

Very useful overview of Bronfenbrenner, thank you

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

January 19, 2016 at 7:38 AM

Hi DeAnn,

You’re very welcome.

Reply

Ashley K says:

February 21, 2016 at 11:49 AM

How would I cite this information APA format?

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

February 22, 2016 at 6:23 AM

Hi Ashley,

Please refer to this website: http://www.bibme.org/citation-guide/apa/website

Hope this helps,

Reply

Bianca says:
March 5, 2016 at 10:22 PM

What is the date of this pulblication

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

March 6, 2016 at 3:28 AM

The post was originally published in November 2013.

Reply

Alina Tuukondjele says:

March 10, 2016 at 11:11 AM

Very educative indeed…

Reply

Tuwilika says:

March 12, 2016 at 1:28 PM

when was this article published and by who, need it for reference purposes

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

March 23, 2016 at 8:18 AM

Hi,

Please refer to this website: http://www.bibme.org/citation-guide/apa/website

Hope this helps,

Reply

Linda West says:

August 4, 2019 at 8:39 PM

This does not help. Who is the author of these words?

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

August 28, 2019 at 5:45 AM

The articles and diagrams on this website are written/created by our team of writers. If you use the
content on this website, you MUST provide appropriate credit. Please see here on how to cite the
content on this website.

Reply

Sulami Havili says:

August 8, 2019 at 1:55 AM

Hi, just trying to find out who wrote this article (Author)?

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

August 28, 2019 at 5:44 AM

The articles and diagrams on this website are written/created by our team of writers. If you use the
content on this website, you MUST provide appropriate credit. Please see here on how to cite the
content on this website.
Reply

julietwelemu says:

August 18, 2019 at 5:56 PM

Can you explain the important of studying bronfenbrenner ecology tk an ecd teacher

Reply

Breana Farnum says:

August 25, 2019 at 5:58 PM

Use the site as the author e.g. for in-text citations (The Psychology Notes Headquarters, 2011). Seeing as
this information isn’t peer-reviewed I probably wouldn’t cite it as anyone could have written it.

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

August 28, 2019 at 5:44 AM

The articles and diagrams on this website are written/created by our team of writers. If you use the
content on this website, you MUST provide appropriate credit. Please see here on how to cite the
content on this website.

Reply

Jane says:

August 25, 2019 at 11:36 PM

I have a couple of questions:

– who is the author of this article?

– I note you list copyright on the diagram demonstrating the model. Is this your original work? What
Bronfenbrenner source did you use to create it?

Reply
Psychology Notes HQ says:

August 28, 2019 at 5:44 AM

The articles and diagrams on this website are written/created by our team of writers. If you use the
content on this website, you MUST provide appropriate credit. Please see here on how to cite the
content on this website.

Reply

Janie Prescott says:

September 1, 2019 at 8:23 PM

Good morning,

I have to submit a task on Bronfenbrenner and appreciate your notes – it really helps. May I know who
the author is for proper reference? Or will it be Psychology Notes HQ?

Thank you

Reply

Psychology Notes HQ says:

September 6, 2019 at 10:04 PM

Hi Janie,

Who are the authors of these articles?

The articles and diagrams on this website are written/created by our team of writers. If you use the
content on this website, you MUST provide appropriate credit. Please see below on how to cite the
content on this website.

How to cite the content on this website?

If you use the content on this website in your work, you MUST cite this website as your source. Here’s
how to do so in APA format.

Hope this helps.

Reply

km says:

September 10, 2019 at 1:53 AM

good afternoon

Reply

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