Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory

Summary

Professor Tannenbaum introduces Uri Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, emphasizing its multi-layered approach to understanding complex human development. The theory outlines individual characteristics, immediate environments (microsystem), relationships between environments (mesosystem), indirect influences (exosystem), cultural context (macrosystem), and the role of time (chronosystem). This comprehensive model encourages a nuanced view of factors influencing behavior, such as education choices and success.

Takeaways

• 📚 Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory is a comprehensive model for understanding the complexity of human development.
• 🧑 The individual is at the center of the model, with personal attributes like age, sex, and special needs influencing behavior.
• 🏠 The microsystem represents immediate environments and interactions, such as family, peers, and school, which directly affect a person.
• 🔗 The mesosystem involves the interplay between different microsystems, like the relationship between family and school for a child.
• 🏢 The exosystem includes indirect influences from environments one is not directly involved in, but which affect one's life, such as a parent's workplace.
• 🌐 The macrosystem encompasses the broader social and cultural context that shapes a person's development, including political and economic factors.
• ⏳ The chronosystem adds a temporal dimension, considering the timing of life events and historical context on a person's development.
• 🤔 The theory emphasizes that understanding human behavior requires considering multiple layers of influence, not just individual traits.
• 🌟 Each layer of the model interacts and overlaps, indicating that human development is influenced by a complex interplay of factors.
• 🌱 The model is useful for educators and researchers to analyze and address complex issues in human development, such as substance abuse.
• 💬 Professor Tannenbaum encourages students to engage with the theory and seek clarification if needed, highlighting the importance of dialogue in learning.

Q & A

What is Uri Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory?

Uri Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory is a model that explains the complexity of human development by considering various layers of influences on human behavior, starting from the individual and extending to the larger social and cultural context.

Why is Bronfenbrenner's theory useful for understanding human development?

Bronfenbrenner's theory is useful because it helps to think about the different types of influences on human behavior, acknowledging that there are no simple answers to complex questions like why people engage in certain behaviors, such as drug use.

What is the 'microsystem' in Bronfenbrenner's theory?

The microsystem in Bronfenbrenner's theory refers to the immediate environments of an individual, such as their school, peers, or family, and includes the relationships and interactions within these environments.

Can you explain the 'mesosystem' according to the theory?

The mesosystem is the interplay between different microsystems in an individual's life. For example, it could be the relationship between a child's family and their school, including how parents interact with teachers and the impact on the child.

What does the 'exosystem' represent in the ecological theory?

The exosystem involves the link between two settings, one where the individual has an immediate role and another where they do not. It affects the individual indirectly, such as a parent's workplace influencing the child's school life through parental involvement and work schedules.

How is the 'macrosystem' defined in Bronfenbrenner's model?

The macrosystem represents the broader social and cultural context that influences an individual, which can include national culture, religious beliefs, political climate, and other societal factors that shape human development.

What role does the 'chronosystem' play in understanding human development?

The chronosystem considers the role of time in human development, including the timing of life events and the historical context. It acknowledges that the impact of events can vary depending on when they occur in a person's life and the broader historical period.

How does the ecological theory address the complexity of factors influencing why people do drugs?

The ecological theory addresses this by considering multiple layers of influence, from individual characteristics to broader social contexts, recognizing that the reasons for drug use can vary greatly among individuals and situations.

Can you provide an example of how the mesosystem might affect a child's development?

An example could be if a child lives in an unsafe area, which might affect the rules set by their parents, influencing the child's behavior and development through the interaction between their home environment and neighborhood.

How might the exosystem impact a student's college experience?

The exosystem could impact a student if, for instance, the state legislature cuts the higher education budget, affecting tuition fees, available resources, and potentially the quality of education, all of which can influence the student's college experience.

What broader cultural factors might be considered in the macrosystem level of the theory?

In the macrosystem level, factors such as the cultural views on education, gender roles, and societal expectations can influence an individual's behavior and development, such as what majors they choose or their attitudes towards education.

How does the timing of life events, as considered in the chronosystem, affect an individual's development?

The timing of life events, such as becoming a parent at different ages, can have different impacts on an individual's development. The chronosystem also considers how historical periods can shape perspectives and behaviors, such as financial habits influenced by economic conditions.