Bronfenbrenner

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Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems Theory

• Dr. K. A. Korb
• University of Jos

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Urie Bronfenbrenner

• Born in Russia
• Immigrated to the US at age 6
• Enlisted in the US army immediately after
  completing his PhD
• Co-founder of the Head Start program
• Designed to serve at-risk nursery students to
  prepare them for school

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Ecological Systems Theory

• Development is the result of the relationships
  between people and their environments
• Cannot evaluate a childs development only in the
  immediate environment
• Must also examine the interactions among the
  larger environments that a child develops in
• Key Question How does the world around the child
  help or hinder development?
• Four layers of relationships that influence a
  childs development
• Microsystem Relationships with direct contact to
  the child
• Mesosystem Connection between relationships of
  childs microsystem
• Exosystem Structures in which child the child
  does not have direct contact
• Macrosystem Cultural context

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Microsystem

• Microsystem Variables that the child is directly
  exposed to
• Relationships Family, school, religious
  institution, neighbors
• Family Most influential and durable influence on
  child
• Environment Geographic, Material structures
• Childs body
• General health
• Brain functioning physiological and
  psychological
• Emotions
• Cognitive System

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Microsystem

• Microsystem Variables that the child is directly
  exposed to
• Relationships Family, school, religious
  institution, neighbors
• Family Most influential and durable influence on
  child
• Environment Geographic, Material structures
• Childs body
• General health
• Brain functioning physiological and
  psychological
• Emotions
• Cognitive System

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Microsystem

• Most of the childs behavior is learned in the
  microsystem.
• The microsystem consists of bi-directional
  influences
• Parents actively shape the development of the
  child
• Children actively shape their environment
• Personal attributes influence responses from
  other people
• Children actively select and avoid specific
  environments
• Bi-directional relationships are the foundation
  for a childs cognitive and emotional growth

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Mesosystem

• Mesosystem Interconnections between the
  microsystems
• Examples
• Interactions between the family and teachers
• Relationship between the childs peers and the
  family

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Exosystem

• Exosystem Institutions of society that
  indirectly affect a childs development
• Examples
• Parents workplace
• Funding for education
• Impacts a childs development by influencing
  structures in the microsystem

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Macrosystem

• Macrosystem Cultural context
• Provides the values, beliefs, customs, and laws
  of the culture in which a child grows up
• Influences how parents, teachers, and others
  raise a child
• May be conscious or unconscious
• Influences the societal values, legislation, and
  financial resources provided by a society to help
  families function
• Influences the interactions of all other layers

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Ecological Systems Theory

• Properties of the four layers of relationships
• Each layer of the environment is complex
• Each layer has an effect on a childs development
• Conflict within any layer ripples throughout
  other layers
• As a child develops, interaction within
  environments becomes more complex
• Complexity is the result of the maturation of a
  childs physical and cognitive structures

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Ecological Systems Theory

• Five propositions that describe how home and
  school relationships work together for positive
  development
• Child must have an ongoing, long-term mutual
  interaction with an adult characterized by
  unconditional love and support
• The child-adult relationship provides the pattern
  of interpersonal relationships with all of the
  childs other relationships. The confidence from
  this relationship allows a child to explore and
  grow from other activities.

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Ecological Systems Theory

• Five propositions, continued.
• Interactions with other adults enables the child
  to develop a more positive relationship in the
  primary child-adult relationship.
• The primary child-adult relationship improves
  with repeated two-way interchanges and mutual
  compromise.
• Relationships between child and adults require
  the society to support the importance of these
  roles.
• Public policies must provide time and resources
  for child-adult relationships to be nurtured.

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Ecological Systems Theory

• Instability and unpredictability in modern family
  life is the most destructive force in childs
  development
• Because of demands within the workplace, children
  do not have constant mutual interactions with
  important adults that are necessary for
  development
• If relationships in the microsystem break down,
  the child will not have tools to explore other
  parts of the environment
• Children without a strong primary relationship
  will find affirmation in inappropriate places,
  particularly in the adolescence years

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Ecological Systems Theory

• Technology has changed society
• Society does not provide resources to protect
  children and adults from the potential negative
  outcomes of technology
• The best interest of society is to lobby for
  political and economic policies that support the
  importance of a parents role in their childs
  development

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Comparing Developmental Theories
Active/Passive Nature/Nurture Stage/Continuous
Piaget Active Both Stage
Information Processing Active Both Both
Sociocultural Active Both Continuous
Neo-Piagetians Active Both Stage
Social Learning Both Nurture Continuous
Psychosocial Passive Both Stage
Attachment Passive Nurture Stage
Ecological Systems Both Both Continuous
Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Critique

• Strengths
• Integrates multiple influences on child
  development
• Weaknesses
• Does not provide detailed mechanisms for
  development

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Implications for Education

• Primary relationship must be intended to last a
  lifetime
• Teachers need to work to support the primary
  child-adult relationship
• Schools should create an environment that
  welcomes and nurtures families
• Education should foster societal attitudes that
  value all work done on behalf of children
• More research is needed to examine interactions
  between different levels of relationships in a
  childs development
• Bronfenbrenner states that there is little
  conflict between families and the school.

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos
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Revision

• Describe the four layers of relationships that
  influences a childs development
• According to ecological systems theory, what can
  educators do to facilitate a childs development?

Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos