Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems: 5 Forces Impacting Our Lives

Summary

Psychologist Uri Bronfenbrenner introduced the Ecological System Theory to the US Congress in 1964, challenging the notion that poverty is biologically determined. His theory posits that children are influenced by five ecological forces: microsystems, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. Bronfenbrenner's work led to the creation of the Head Start program, emphasizing the importance of environmental support for children's development. The bioecological model further integrates gene-environment interactions, highlighting the dynamic influence of the environment on a child's potential.

Takeaways

• 🕵️‍♂️ Uri Bronfenbrenner presented to the US Congress in 1964 to challenge the prevailing belief that poverty was a result of biology rather than environmental factors.
• 🌳 Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Theory posits that a child's development is influenced by five ecological forces: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The microsystem includes immediate family and friends, which directly impact the child and can be negatively affected by poverty and dysfunctional family structures.
• 🤝 The mesosystem refers to the connections between the people surrounding the child, such as between parents and teachers, which can affect the child if these relationships are strained.
• 🏢 The exosystem involves indirect influences on the child through the experiences of their parents in social settings outside the immediate family environment, like work.
• 🌐 The macrosystem encompasses the broader cultural, religious, and social norms that shape the child's environment and can create systemic disadvantages based on location and ethnicity.
• ⏳ The chronosystem highlights the changes over time that can affect a child, such as parental divorce or new family dynamics, which can have varying impacts at different stages of life.
• 🧬 Bronfenbrenner, along with Stephen Ceci, later expanded his theory to include the bioecological model, which recognizes gene-environment interactions and the influence of the environment on genetic expression.
• 🌟 Bronfenbrenner's work contributed to the development of the Head Start program in 1965, aimed at supporting poor children by addressing not only family needs but also community elements.
• 👶 The theory emphasizes the importance of a supportive adult figure in a child's life for optimal development, suggesting that every child needs at least one adult who is deeply committed to their well-being.
• 📈 The script encourages individuals to visualize their own ecological system by drawing circles representing themselves and the various influences on their life, along with a timeline of past and future events.

Q & A

What was Uri Bronfenbrenner's mission when he appeared before the US Congress in 1964?

Uri Bronfenbrenner aimed to change the prevailing belief that poverty was a result of biology rather than environmental factors, and to convince the world that helping the less fortunate also required changing their surroundings.

What are the five ecological forces in Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Theory?

The five ecological forces are the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem, which all influence a child's development through direct and indirect interactions and environmental factors.

How does the microsystem affect a child's experiences?

The microsystem, which includes family and friends, directly influences a child's experiences. Children from unfortunate backgrounds may experience problematic family structures and negative situations at school or through friends, making it difficult for them to succeed.

Can you explain the mesosystem and its impact on a child?

The mesosystem represents the interconnections between the elements surrounding the child, such as the relationship between a father and school teachers. If these connections are negative, the child might suffer as a result.

What is the exosystem and how does it influence a child indirectly?

The exosystem involves social settings that do not directly involve the child but can still affect them, such as a parent's work experiences. For example, if a mother loses her job, it might lead to more arguments at home, indirectly affecting the child.

How does the macrosystem shape a child's development?

The macrosystem describes the overarching culture, religion, and social norms that influence all other systems. It can put a child at a disadvantage based on their geographic location, ethnicity, or societal status, regardless of their biological potential.

What does the chronosystem refer to and how is it significant?

The chronosystem refers to changes in the child and the environment over time. As a child grows, events such as parental divorce or the introduction of a new family member can have significant impacts at different stages of their life.

How did Bronfenbrenner's theory influence policy and programs for children?

Bronfenbrenner's theory helped form the Head Start program in 1965, a government initiative that has served more than 35 million poor children, providing support not only to families but also to elements of their community.

What is the bioecological model and how does it extend Bronfenbrenner's original theory?

The bioecological model, an extension of Bronfenbrenner's theory, recognizes gene-environment interactions and acknowledges the role of heritability, adding that genes are influenced by the environment, and the process of heritability varies in a magnitude of potentials.

What is the significance of the statement 'every child needs at least one adult who is irrationally crazy about him or her'?

This statement by Bronfenbrenner emphasizes the importance of a strong, supportive relationship between a child and at least one adult figure in their life, which is crucial for the child's well-being and development within the larger social structures.

How can one apply Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Theory to their own life?

One can apply the theory by creating a visual representation with five circles, placing themselves in the center, and adding a timeline at the bottom. Then, they can identify and add all the people, institutions, and forces that affect their life, and note major events from the past and expected in the future to understand how the five forces are shaping their life.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Bronfenbrenner's Mission to Change Perceptions of Poverty

In 1964, Uri Bronfenbrenner, a young psychologist, presented to the US Congress with the goal of altering the prevailing belief that poverty was a biological inevitability rather than an environmental issue. He introduced the Ecological System Theory, which posits that children are influenced by five ecological forces: the microsystem of direct family and friends, the mesosystem of connections between these individuals, the exosystem of indirect social settings, the macrosystem of overarching culture and social norms, and the chronosystem reflecting changes over time. Bronfenbrenner argued that children from disadvantaged backgrounds often face a negative microsystem, making success more challenging. His theory emphasized the need for support that extends beyond the family to include community elements, which influenced the creation of the Head Start program in 1965.

Keywords

💡Ecological System Theory

Ecological System Theory, proposed by Uri Bronfenbrenner, is the foundational concept of the video. It suggests that a child's development is influenced by various interconnected environmental systems. The theory is central to understanding the video's theme of how external factors shape an individual's life, rather than inherent biological traits.

💡Microsystem

The Microsystem refers to the immediate environment where a child interacts directly, such as family and friends. It is a key component of Bronfenbrenner's theory and is crucial to the video's narrative, illustrating how direct interactions can impact a child's development, especially in problematic family structures.

💡Mesosystem

The Mesosystem encompasses the interconnections between elements of a child's environment, such as the relationship between parents and teachers. The video uses this concept to show how indirect relationships can influence a child's life, for instance, when a father's conflict with a teacher affects the child.

💡Exosystem

The Exosystem includes social settings that influence the child indirectly, such as a parent's workplace. The video script mentions how a mother losing her job can lead to family arguments, affecting the child's home environment, thus demonstrating the impact of external social structures on a child's development.

💡Macrosystem

The Macrosystem represents the broader cultural, religious, and social norms that affect all other systems. The video highlights this concept by discussing how a child's geographic location and ethnicity can influence their life chances, emphasizing the role of societal structures in individual outcomes.

💡Chronosystem

The Chronosystem addresses changes in the child and their environment over time. The video script provides an example of a child's life being affected by his parents' divorce at different ages, showing how time and developmental stages interact with environmental factors.

💡Gene–Environment Interactions

Gene–Environment Interactions, introduced in the bioecological model, acknowledge the role of heritability while emphasizing that genes are influenced by the environment. The video script uses this concept to argue against the idea of genetic predestination, suggesting that a child's potential is realized through their ecological environment.

💡Head Start Program

The Head Start Program is a government initiative mentioned in the video that has served millions of children from impoverished backgrounds. It exemplifies the practical application of Bronfenbrenner's theory, providing support not only to families but also to community elements, to improve children's life outcomes.

💡Bioecological Model

The Bioecological Model is an extension of Bronfenbrenner's original theory, recognizing the interaction between genes and the environment. The video script discusses this model to convey the message that a child's development is a complex interplay of nature and nurture, influenced by both genetic potential and environmental factors.

💡Support Systems

Support Systems in the video refer to the networks and structures that assist children from less fortunate backgrounds. The script suggests that these systems should extend beyond the family to include community elements, reflecting the comprehensive approach needed to foster a child's development.

💡Social Vacuum

The term 'Social Vacuum' is used in the video to denote the absence of a social context, emphasizing that parent-child relationships are not isolated but are embedded in larger social structures. This concept is crucial for understanding the video's message that individual development is deeply connected to the surrounding social environment.

Highlights

In 1964, Uri Bronfenbrenner presented his mission to change the perception that poverty was a biological inevitability rather than an environmental issue.

Bronfenbrenner introduced the Ecological System Theory, proposing that children are influenced by five ecological forces.

The Microsystem includes the direct influences of family and friends on a child's development.

The Mesosystem represents the interconnections between the elements surrounding the child, such as the relationship between parents and teachers.

The Exosystem involves indirect influences on a child's experience through the social settings of their parents, like work-related stress affecting family dynamics.

The Macrosystem encompasses the overarching culture, religion, and social norms that affect all other systems.

The Chronosystem refers to the changes in the child and their environment over time, such as the impact of parental divorce at different stages of the child's life.

Children from unfortunate backgrounds are more likely to face problematic family structures and negative school or peer influences.

Bronfenbrenner argued that a child's prospects are not genetically predetermined but are a result of their environment.

The Head Start program, formed in 1965, was influenced by Bronfenbrenner's theory and has served over 35 million poor children.

Bronfenbrenner and Stephen Ceci later proposed the bioecological model, which recognizes gene-environment interactions and the influence of the environment on genes.

The bioecological model suggests that the extent of a child's development of inherited potential depends on their ecological environment.

Bronfenbrenner emphasized the importance of parent-child relationships being embedded in larger social structures like community and culture.

He stated that for a child to develop well, they need at least one adult who is 'irrationally crazy' about them.

The transcript encourages readers to visualize their own ecological system by drawing circles representing different influences and a timeline of life events.

Sproutsschools.com offers more information on the topic and provides options to download the video without background music.

Transcripts

In 1964, a young psychologist appeared  before the US congress with a mission.  

It was a time when most people thought  that the reason poor people stayed poor  

was a matter of biology and had nothing to  do with the environment they grew up in.  

The psychologist, Uri Bronfenbrenner, wanted  to change that and convince the world that  

to help those less fortunate, we also need to  change their surroundings. But did he succeed?

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological System Theory conceives that a child is influenced by five

ecological forces.

First comes the microsystem of family and friends that affect the child directly.Second

are the forces of the connections between the people around the child:parents with teachers

and teachers with peers.

Then there are links between social settings that do not directly involve the child,such

as the father with his boss,the peers with their parents and the teacher with the principal.

Next, is the overarching culture, religion and social norms that influences all others.And

lastly, there is time - which changes everything over the course of one’s life.

Children are born into a Microsystem that influences the child's experiences directly.

Children from unfortunate backgrounds are more likely to experience problematic family

structures -even if it’s simply for the fact that parenting is more difficult if you

are poor.They also encounter more negative situations at school or bad influences through

friends.

Consequently, a child that grows up in a negative microsystem,will find it hard to succeed.

The Mesosystem represents the interconnections between the elements that surround the child.

For example the relationship between the father and the school teachers.

If the father doesn’t get along with a teacher,the child might suffer.

The EXOSYSTEM involves links between social settings that do not involve the child.For

example, a child's experience at home can be influenced by their parent's experiences

at work.

If the mother loses her job, there might be more arguments with the father,resulting in

changes in their interaction with the child.

The MACROSYSTEMdescribes the overarching culture that influences all other systems,such as

a child’s geographic location and ethnicity.

Intelligent people who happen to live in bad places are more likely to move to better ones.But

that also means that they are more likely to be strangers in a richer society.

So regardless of the child’s biological potential or upbringing, on a macro level

he or she may still be at a disadvantage.

The CHRONOSYSTEM,refers to changes in the child,and the environment over time.As the

child grows up the parents may stop loving each other and divorce, which can be traumatic

for an eight year old boy.Five years later, he may have come to terms with how things

turned out.But when the boy turns 16, his mom’s new boyfriend moves into their tiny

apartment, and things get difficult again.[4]

Bronfenbrenner, who was influenced by Lev Vygotsky and Kurt Lewin, convinced the US

congress that a child’s prospect is not genetically predestined,but is the result

of the larger environment they happen to be placed in.

Children who grow up in unfortunate social structures therefore need a form of support

that not only reaches their families,but also elements of their community.

Bronfenbrenner's theory helped form the Head Start program in 1965,a government program

that has served more than 35 million poor children since.

Decades later, Bronfenbrenner and Stephen Ceciproposed an extension of this theory,

called the "bioecological model,.This new model recognizes gene–environment interactions

and acknowledges the role of heritability, but adds that genes themselve are under the

influence of the environment.In other words, the process of heritability varies in a magnitude

of potentials.

How much a child can make of the potential 

they inherit,depends on  the ecological environment.

Bronfenbrenner made a critical contribution to our realization that parent-child relationships

do not exist in a social vacuum but are embedded in the larger structures, such as community,

society, and culture.

In order to develop well, he allegedly said, “every child needs at least one adult who

is irrationally crazy about him or her.”

Now it’s your turn,make five circles, draw yourself in the center and add a timeline

at the bottom.

Then add all the people, institutions and forces that affect your life.

On the timeline below you can add some major events from the past and those you expect

in the future.

Can you tell how the 5 forces are shaping your life?

To read more about the topic or download the 

video without background  music, visit sproutsschools.com