Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

Urie Bronfenbrenner developed the ecological systems theory in 1979 in an attempt to explain the role the environment plays in childhood development. There are five environmental
systems that affect how children develop. When a change in one of the five systems occurs, it has the potential to influence the other systems. The five systems are:

 Microsystem
 Mesosystem
 Exosystem
 Macrosystem
 Chronosystem

The first circle depicted in sky blue is the microsystem, which is the environmental system where the child's immediate interactions happen. The child's school and family are both
microsystems.

The gray circle shows the mesosystem, which contains interactions between two microsystems. An example of a mesosystem is having your parents (family microsystem) chaperone a
school field trip (school microsystem).

The information in the dark blue circle is the exosystem, which consists of the settings in the environment that have a significant influence on the child, although the child does not
directly participate in the settings. An example of an exosystem is the death of a family friend.

The orange circle contains the macrosystem.

The upward broken arrow line outside of the circle contains the chronosystem, which consists of life transitions and events. This includes any sociohistorical events. An example of a
chronosystem is the birth of a sibling when the child is five years old.
 Legend:
Belief System, Customs, laws
CHRONOSYSTEM
Microsystem
(Changes inMesosystem
person or
environment over time)
Exosystem

Social
Macrosystem
Health
Services
Care
services

Life Course
Neighborhood Options
M
Government

and so on... Time

Mass
Peers
Child
School
Parent’s
Media
workplace

Family

Bodies of
Knowledge

Life Styles Extended

Family
Friends of
Family

Material Resources

Ecological System Theory