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.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Understanding Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

This paragraph introduces the ecological systems model proposed by psychologist Yuri Bronfenbrenner, explaining how children's development is shaped by both nature (biological traits) and nurture (social/environmental influences). It outlines five interconnected systems of influence: the microsystem (direct interactions like family and school), the mesosystem (connections between settings in the microsystem), the exosystem (broader societal influences like political and legal systems), the macrosystem (cultural norms and ideologies), and the chronosystem (influence of time, such as personal development, historical events, or cyclical patterns). Each system affects and is influenced by the others.

05:01

👶 Substance Use and Its Impact on Child Development

Here, the example of substance use is explored within Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model. At the microsystem level, maternal substance use impacts unborn babies, potentially leading to developmental disorders such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. These disorders can result in behavioral and physical difficulties for the child. The mesosystem can either exacerbate or alleviate the impact through social interactions and support from family, schools, or community services. The exosystem influences substance use through laws and policies that affect family dynamics. The macrosystem shapes societal views on substance use, contributing to stigma, which affects recovery and help-seeking behaviors.

🧠 The Role of Stigma in Substance Use and Parenting

This paragraph delves into how stigma, rooted in the macrosystem, impacts individuals with substance use issues, particularly mothers. Stereotypes and societal prejudices lead to discrimination, which can affect personal relationships and interactions with systems like child protection and the courts. Over time, these biases undermine self-efficacy and self-regulation, creating a cycle of behavior and reinforcing stereotypes. The chronosystem shows how this can lead to intergenerational trauma, where children growing up in challenging environments may repeat the same patterns in adulthood, perpetuating cycles of substance use and family separation.

👩‍👦 Single Mothers and the Ecological System's Influence

Using the example of single mothers in Australia, this paragraph explains how the ecological systems model influences family dynamics over time. Until the 1970s, the macrosystem (cultural beliefs) dictated that children should be raised in two-parent families, resulting in a lack of financial support for single mothers. This exosystem-level policy pressured many unwed mothers to give up their children for adoption. However, the women's movement in the 1970s lobbied for change, influencing both societal attitudes and policies. As a result, payments for single mothers were introduced, helping them to keep their children, demonstrating how actions at different system levels can influence individual lives.

Keywords

💡Ecological Systems Model

The Ecological Systems Model, proposed by psychologist Yuri Bronfenbrenner, is a framework for understanding how a child's development is influenced by different environmental and social systems. It highlights the interaction between nature (biological traits) and nurture (environmental influences). The video uses this model to explain how various levels of a child's surroundings, from family to societal policies, affect behavior and outcomes.

💡Microsystem

The microsystem refers to the immediate environment surrounding a child, such as family, friends, school, and service providers. These direct interactions shape a child's development. For example, in the video, maternal substance use affects the unborn child’s development, influencing their behavior and the way others interact with them.

💡Mesosystem

The mesosystem involves the relationships and interactions between the various settings within the microsystem. It represents the social connections that link these environments. In the video, this concept is illustrated by the interaction between the child’s family and school, or between family and service providers, which can either improve or complicate the child’s situation.

💡Exosystem

The exosystem includes broader societal structures that indirectly influence a child's development, such as political, legal, educational, and economic systems. In the video, policies and laws regarding substance use are part of the exosystem, impacting family stability and access to support services.

💡Macrosystem

The macrosystem consists of cultural values, societal norms, and dominant ideologies that shape laws and policies. These larger societal influences affect family structures and individual behavior. The video explains how societal views on substance use and single parenthood, for example, shape policies and attitudes that affect individual families.

💡Chronosystem

The chronosystem encompasses the dimension of time, including personal history, societal cycles, and historical events. It accounts for changes that happen over time, both in a person's life and within the broader society. In the video, the impact of time is illustrated through the example of intergenerational trauma and societal shifts in attitudes toward single motherhood.

💡Substance Use

Substance use refers to the consumption of drugs or alcohol and its potential impact on individual development and social relationships. The video discusses substance use within the ecological system, focusing on how it affects children at various levels, from maternal substance use in the microsystem to societal stigma at the macrosystem level.

💡Stigma

Stigma is a form of social judgment or discrimination based on stereotypes or prejudice, often leading to negative outcomes for the affected individuals. In the video, stigma is explored through its effects on mothers with substance use issues, who face blame and judgment from family, friends, and social systems, which exacerbates their challenges.

💡Intergenerational Trauma

Intergenerational trauma refers to the transmission of trauma effects from one generation to another. The video illustrates this through children growing up in out-of-home care, who may lack proper parenting skills and perpetuate cycles of substance use and family separation, showing the chronosystem's influence on family dynamics.

💡Single Parenthood

Single parenthood is the condition of raising a child without the presence of both parents. The video highlights how societal attitudes toward single mothers, particularly in Australia during the 1970s, shaped policies and influenced whether mothers could keep their children or were pressured into adoption. These changes in the macrosystem affected individual families profoundly.

Highlights

The ecological systems model by Yuri Bronfenbrenner emphasizes the interaction between children and their social context, shaping development in a two-way manner.

Bronfenbrenner’s model accounts for both nature (biological/psychological traits) and nurture (social/environmental influences).

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

The microsystem consists of a child's immediate environment, including family, friends, school, and service providers.

The mesosystem examines interactions and relationships between different settings within the microsystem.

The exosystem encompasses broader social structures, such as political, legal, educational, and health systems.

The macrosystem includes cultural norms, social values, religious beliefs, and ideologies that shape laws and policies.

The chronosystem considers the influence of time, including personal biological timelines, historical events, and societal changes.

Substance use and its effects on child development serve as an example within the ecological systems model.

Exposure to substances like alcohol in utero can lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, which affect the child's behavior and development.

The availability and role modeling of substances in a child's environment, such as neighborhoods where alcohol is prevalent, are part of the microsystem's influence.

Punitive laws in the exosystem, such as those increasing child removal risks, contrast with supportive policies for family-sensitive interventions.

The macrosystem’s views on illicit drug dangers and media portrayal create stigma, influencing substance use, help-seeking behavior, and recovery.

Stigma related to substance use stems from macrosystem stereotypes and results in discrimination, impacting mothers with substance issues.

The chronosystem reveals how intergenerational trauma, such as parenting skills deficits, perpetuates cycles of substance use and family separation.

Transcripts

all children exist within a social

context that shapes them

and is shaped by them this two-way

interaction is at the heart of the

ecological systems model

proposed by the psychologist yuri

bronfenbrenner

he suggested that child development can

be understood within this model that

accounts for both nature

and nurture so not only a child's

biological and psychological traits

but all the social and environmental

influences like family

school community culture and belief

systems

and all the interactions that influence

behaviours events and outcomes

there are five systems of influence in

bronfenbrenner's model

the microsystem is comprised of the

individual child

and those they directly interact with

such as family

friends neighbors school and service

providers

the meso system is concerned with social

connections

relationships links or interactions

between the various settings

in the micro system the exosystem is the

broader social context

and it includes the political legal

educational and health systems

and the job market the macro system

includes social norms

cultural mores religious beliefs and the

dominant ideologies which are the

drivers of laws policies

and practices these four systems

are embedded in a fifth system the

chrono system

which is concerned with time individual

time as in personal biology and

biography

historical or social cyclical as in the

changing of the seasons or the

celebration of anniversaries

and future time each system

influences and is influenced by other

systems so a change in one

has the potential to produce a change in

another

let's look at the example of substance

use in the ecological system

at the microsystem level maternal

substance

use can affect the development of the

unborn baby the inner world

an infant exposed to alcohol in utero

may develop any one of three fetal

alcohol spectrum disorders which can

result in abnormal facial features

small head size growth deficit poor

coordination

hyperactive behavior difficulty with

attention

and poor memory which will of course

affect the child's behavior

and the relational responses to that

child in the meso system

still at the microsystem level substance

use can influence the child

through role modelling of family members

and friends

or through access the child may live in

a neighborhood where alcohol or certain

drugs are widely available

and commonly used

at the level of the meso system the

child's family may experience conflict

with the child's school or with service

providers such as child protection or

police

or the family may enjoy good

relationships with service providers

and be open to support and the meso

system may provide

options that can help improve the

situation in the child's microsystem

exosystem influences might include

punitive laws that increase the

likelihood of the removal of children

from parental care

whereas a benefit might be a policy that

provides

access to family sensitive interventions

that include something like parenting

skills development

legislation and policy on substance use

are heavily influenced by the macro

system

particularly through society's views on

the dangers of using illicit drugs

macrosystem influences such as

government policy

society's values and media messages can

have

as great an impact as microsystem

influences

such as peer pressure and family

expectations because they not only

impact on uptake and continued use of

substances

they also result in stigma which

influences help seeking behaviours

and recovery let's look at the role of

stigma from an ecological perspective

stigma which is associated with the

macro system is born from stereotypes

and prejudice

discrimination occurs with both

conscious and unconscious bias

common stereotypes for substance users

include that they're dangerous

self-destructive unreliable and that

they're bad

parents those with substance use issues

are judged based on these stereotypes

and this can result in acts of

discrimination this can be clearly seen

in experience of mothers with substance

issues and the judgment and blame

directed towards them from friends

family services child protection and the

court system

the bias of these systems puts these

women at a disadvantage

discrimination over time from a

trauma-informed perspective

compromises self-efficacy and an

individual's ability to respond and to

self-regulate

which perpetuates behaviour their

situation

and the stereotyping and demonization of

their substance use

the chronosystem shows us where

intergenerational trauma occurs

children who grow up in out-of-home care

may not learn the parenting skills to

bring up their own children

and this can contribute to the cycle of

substance use and separation

here's another example that concerns

single mothers beginning with the macro

system the cultural context

up until the 1970s the dominant belief

in australia was that children should

only be raised in two parent families

with a mother and a father as a result

there were no payments for sole parents

unless they were abandoned wives or

widows

this payment was of course based on a

decision made in the exo system where

social security provisions are enacted

consequently using the terminology of

the day

unwed mothers were often pressured to

give up their infants for adoption

or had no means of supporting them the

resulting separation

profoundly impacted the microsystem of

both the mother and her child

during the 1970s the women's movement

drew attention to the relationship

between the personal and the political

women began to form pressure groups to

lobby for payments for mothers who gave

birth outside of marriage

thereby influencing the macro system

through changes to society's attitudes

changes in the exo system meant that

there were more women working in jobs

that could influence policy making

the result was the introduction of the

sole parent payment

an action at the exosystem level which

enabled women

and their infants to remain together

thus influencing the microsystem

which in turn radiated effects out

through all the levels of the ecological

system

you