MACROSYSTEM

The macrosystem is the fourth system in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory

that focuses on how cultural elements affect a child’s development, such as
socioeconomic status, wealth, poverty, and ethnicity. Hence, the culture that
individuals are immersed within may influence their beliefs and perceptions about
events that transpire in life. The term macrosystem describes the cultural context in
which a person lives. Ecological systems theory proposes five environmental
systems in which an individual will interact with over the course of their lifetime:
microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem (Evans,
2023).

The macrosystem differs from the previous ecosystems as it does not refer to
the specific environments of one developing child, but the already established
society and culture in which the child is developing in. The macrosystem is the larger
culture as a whole and includes socioeconomic status, wealth, poverty, and ethnicity.
This further includes children, their parents and school, and their parent's workplace
as part of a larger cultural context. As culture evolves and changes over time, the
macrosystem changes as well making it unique for successive generations.

A macrosystem is the broad, all-encompassing influences that impact the

child and all the systems that surround the child itself (Jones and Williams, 2022).
The macrosystem can directly impact the child, but it can also affect the members of
the child's microsystem. By impacting the member of a child's microsystem, it
impacts the child. For example, suppose a child is raised in a culture that recognizes
the value of the neighborhood and shared responsibility of watching out for all
members of that community. In that case, a child will feel protected in their
neighborhood and comfortable being outside with or without parental supervision.
The culture of the neighborhood is positive and supportive.

The macrosystem is the largest and most distant collection of people and
places to the child that still exercises significant influence on the child. It is composed
of the child’s cultural patterns and values, specifically the child’s dominant beliefs
and ideas, as well as political and economic systems. According to Boemmel and
Briscoe and Ryan, et al., the macrosystem has a cascading influence on the
interactions of the other systems. This influence can be seen through the effective
collaboration between parents (home environment) and teachers (school
environment). Nitzbert (2020) further explored the integration of the child to family,
school, and the community, with the community emphasizing social relationships
through social affiliations. This model is helpful in demonstrating a young person’s
exposure to multiple sets of values and is no more apparent than in the world that
young adults live in today.

Thus, in macrosystem, the economic, cultural, political environment a child

grows up in can play an active role in their development.
 REFERENCES

Jones, J & Williams, Y. (2022). Bronfenbrenner's Macrosystem. Retrieved March 15,

2022, from https://study.com/academy/lesson/bronfenbrenners-macrosystem-
definition-examples-quiz.html#:~:text=Course%20157K%20views,What%20Is%20a
%20Macrosystem%3F,identity%2C%20values%2C%20and%20perceptions.

Culpepper, D & Killion, L. (2017). 21st Century Sport: Microsystem or Macrosystem.

Retrieved March 23, 2017, from https://thesportjournal.org/article/21st-century-sport-
microsystem-or-macrosystem/.

Reicherter, F. (2022). Child Development According To Urie Bronfenbrenner’s

Ecological System Theory. Retrieved May 10, 2022,
fromhttps://inspiringmygeneration.org/2022/05/10/urie-bronfenbrenner.

Dew, C. (2022). Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (Pros & Cons).

Retrieved December 14, 2022, from https://helpfulprofessor.com/ecological-systems-
theory-pros-cons/.

Evans, O.G. (2023). Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory. Retrieved April

28, 2023, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/bronfenbrenner.html#:~:text=He
%20named%20these%20structures%20the,its%20relationship%20with%20the
%20others.