Ecological

System’s
Theory
Urie Bronfenbrenner
 Introduction
• 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 theory emphasizes the
importance of studying children in
multiple environments, also known
as ecological systems, in the attempt
to understand their development.
MICROSYSTEM
The prefix “micro" comes from the
Greek for “small," and is the first and
most immediate layer of the nested
systems. 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.
MESOSYSTEM
The second layer from the individual,
surrounding the microsystem and
encompassing the different interactions
between the characters of the microsystem.
For example, the relationship between the
individual’s family and their schoolteachers
or administrators. For an interaction to be
considered part of the mesosystem, it must
be a direct interaction between two aspects
of the microsystem that influences the
development of the individual.
 EXOSYSTEM
The exosystem is the third layer and
contains elements of the microsystem
which do not affect the individual
directly. For example, if a parent were
to lose their job or have their hours cut
back, this would affect their child in an
indirect way such as financial strain or
increased parental stress.
 MACROSYSTEM
The prefix “macro" comes from the
Greek for “large," and is used because
this system was thought to be all-
encompassing. The fourth and
outermost layer of the bioecological
model, it encompasses cultural and
societal beliefs and programming that
influence an individual’s development.
Examples of this would include gender
norms or religious influence.
 Genital Mutilation
Female genital mutilation
(FGM), also known as female
genital cutting and female
circumcision, is the ritual
cutting or removal of some or
all of the external female
genitalia. The practice is found
in Africa, Asia and the Middle
East, and within communities
from countries in which FGM is
common.
FACTS about FGM:
• FGM can cause severe bleeding and
problems urinating, and later cysts,
infections, as well as complications in
childbirth and increased risk of newborn
deaths.
• More than 200 million girls and women
alive today have been cut in 30 countries
in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where
FGM is concentrated (1).
• FGM is mostly carried out on young girls
between infancy and age 15.
• FGM is a violation of the human rights of
girls and women.
 CHRONOSYSTEM
It adds the useful dimension of time,
which demonstrates the influence of
both change and constancy in the
child’s environment. The chronosystem
may thus include a change in family
structure, address, parent’s
employment status, in addition to
immense society changes such as
economic cycles and wars.