Understanding Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory

Jan 11, 2025

Lecture Notes: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory

Introduction

  • Presented by Professor Tannenbaum
  • Overview of Uri Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory
  • Used as a model for understanding complex human development
  • Aims to understand various influences on human behavior, such as drug use

Key Concepts

  • Ecological Theory: A multi-layered model to analyze influences on human behavior

Layers of Ecological Theory

  1. Individual

    • Central element
    • Factors include age, sex, special needs
  2. Microsystem

    • Immediate environments
    • For children: school, peers, family
    • For adults: job, class, living place
    • Examples: supportive teachers, parental stress, bullying
  3. Mesosystem

    • Relationships between microsystems
    • Example: relationship between family and school
    • Includes interaction of living environment with family dynamics
  4. Exosystem

    • Link between direct and indirect settings
    • Examples: parent's job affecting child's school involvement, college board of trustees
  5. Macrosystem

    • Larger social and cultural context
    • Can include national culture, religious or military culture, urban vs. rural context
    • Influences from political climate
  6. Chronosystem

    • Role of time in development
    • Timing of life events (e.g., becoming a parent at different ages)
    • Historical context (e.g., views on money over generations)

Application Example

  • Considerations for a college student:
    • Individual: intelligence, personality
    • Microsystem: available majors, financial capability
    • Mesosystem: family and employer support
    • Exosystem: impact of state educational budget
    • Macrosystem: cultural views on education
    • Chronosystem: age and historical period of attending college

Conclusion

  • Bronfenbrenner's theory provides a structured way to understand human development
  • Encouragement to ask questions for further understanding
  • General well-wishes