Ecological systems theory

Summary

This transcript discusses Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model, which explains child development as influenced by multiple systems. These include the microsystem (family and close contacts), mesosystem (relationships between different settings), exosystem (broader societal factors like laws and policies), macrosystem (cultural norms and ideologies), and chronosystem (time-related changes). The script uses examples like substance use and single motherhood to show how these systems interact, shaping behaviors and outcomes. It also highlights the role of stigma and intergenerational trauma, emphasizing the interconnectedness of personal and social influences.

Takeaways

• 🌍 All children exist within a social context that shapes them and is shaped by them, emphasizing the two-way interaction in development.
• 🧠 Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model explains child development through both nature (biological traits) and nurture (social/environmental influences).
• 🏠 The microsystem includes the child and their direct interactions, such as with family, friends, and school.
• 🔗 The mesosystem focuses on the interactions and connections between settings in the microsystem, such as family-school relationships.
• 🏢 The exosystem represents the broader social context, including systems like politics, education, and the job market.
• 🌐 The macrosystem includes societal norms, cultural beliefs, and dominant ideologies that influence laws and policies.
• ⏳ The chronosystem is concerned with the influence of time, including personal history, seasonal changes, and future events on development.
• 👶 Maternal substance use in the microsystem can significantly affect a child’s development, such as through fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
• ⚖️ The exosystem and macrosystem can impact substance use issues through laws, societal values, and stigma, affecting both behavior and recovery.
• ♻️ The chronosystem highlights the role of intergenerational trauma and its effects on parenting skills and substance use cycles.

Q & A

What is the central concept of Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model?

Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model is centered on the idea that child development is influenced by both nature and nurture, involving a two-way interaction between the child and their social and environmental context.

How many systems of influence are there in Bronfenbrenner's model, and what are they?

There are five systems of influence in Bronfenbrenner's model: the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem.

What is included in the microsystem, and how does it influence the child?

The microsystem includes the child’s immediate surroundings and interactions, such as family, friends, neighbors, school, and service providers. These direct interactions play a key role in shaping the child’s development.

What role does the mesosystem play in the ecological model?

The mesosystem involves the connections and relationships between the settings in the microsystem, such as the interactions between family and school. These interactions can affect the child’s development by providing support or creating conflict.

What is the exosystem, and how does it affect a child's development?

The exosystem refers to the broader social context that indirectly affects the child, such as political, legal, and health systems, or parental work environments. These systems influence the child's development through their impact on the child's immediate environment.

What does the macrosystem encompass, and how does it influence development?

The macrosystem includes overarching societal norms, cultural values, religious beliefs, and ideologies that shape policies and practices. These factors influence child development by dictating societal views and laws.

What is the chronosystem, and how does it differ from the other systems?

The chronosystem is concerned with time, including individual life stages, historical periods, and cyclical events like seasons. It tracks how time and change influence the interactions within the other systems.

How can maternal substance use affect a child at the microsystem level?

Maternal substance use can directly affect an unborn baby, leading to conditions like fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which result in developmental and behavioral challenges for the child.

How does stigma related to substance use manifest within the ecological system?

Stigma originates from the macrosystem through societal stereotypes and prejudices, and it leads to discrimination, which can affect help-seeking behavior and perpetuate substance use problems at all levels of the system.

What historical example illustrates the influence of the macro and exosystems on single mothers in Australia?

Until the 1970s, societal beliefs in Australia favored two-parent families, leading to policies that provided no financial support for single mothers. This affected unwed mothers, pressuring them to give up their children. Changes in societal attitudes and policies, driven by the women's movement, eventually led to support systems like the sole parent payment.