ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

THEORY
- URIE BRONFENBRENNER

Andrea Mizelle M. Collado, MA-GC1

 (29 April 1917– 25 Sept 2005)
American developmental
Psychologist
Born in the Soviet Union
Most known for his ecological
systems theory of child
development
ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY
changed the perspective of
developmental psychology by
calling attention to the large
number of environmental and
societal influences on child
development
He saw the process of human
development as being shaped
by the interaction between an

URIE BRONFENBRENNER individual and his or her

environment.
 In his own words, developmental psychology was, "...the science
of strange behavior of children in strange situations with strange
adults for the briefest possible periods of time."

 He eventually renamed his theory the bio ecological model in order

to recognize the importance of biological processes in development.

His theory states that there are many different levels of env’t
influences that can affect a child's development, starting from
people and institutions immediately surrounding the individual to
nation- wide cultural forces
 According to Melvin L. Kohn, a sociologist from Johns
Hopkins University, Bronfenbrenner was critical in making
social scientists realize that, "...interpersonal relationships,
even [at] the smallest level of the parent-child
relationship, did not exist in a social vacuum but were
embedded in the larger social structures of community,
society, economics and politics."
 ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THEORY
Also called development in context or human ecology theory,
identifies five environmental systems with which an individual
interacts
Ecological Human Development assumes the individual acts as a
causal agent.
The entirety of the individual’s ecology also acts as a causal agent
Each level of developmental pressure is triggered based on active
interaction from an individual
Ecological levels create unique developmental contexts
1. MICROSYSTEM
 Refers to the institutions and groups that most immediately and directly
impact the child's development including: family, school, religious institutions,
neighborhood, and peers.

2. MESOSYSTEM
 Interconnections between the microsystems, interactions between the
family and teachers, relationship between the child’s peers and the family.
3. EXOSYSTEM
 Involves links between a social setting in which the individual does not
have an active role and the individual's immediate context.
4. MACROSYSTEM
 Describes the culture in which individuals live.

5. CHRONOSYSTEM
 The patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life course,
as well as sociohistorical circumstances.
■TENCHU!