Ecological Systems Theory

You and Your Environment

Otherwise known as the Human Ecology Theory, the Ecological Systems
theory states that human development is influenced by the different types
of environmental systems. Formulated by famous psychologist Urie
Bronfenbrenner, this theory helps us understand why we may behave
differently when we compare our behavior in the presence of our family and
our behavior when we are in school or at work.
The Five Environmental Systems
The ecological systems theory holds that we encounter different environments throughout our
lifespan that may influence our behavior in varying degrees. These systems include the micro
system, the mesosystem, the exosystem, the macro system, and the chronosystem.
1. The Micro System
The micro system's setting is the direct environment we have in our lives. Your family, friends,
classmates, teachers, neighbors and other people who have a direct contact with you are
included in your micro system. The micro system is the setting in which we have direct social
interactions with these social agents. The theory states that we are not mere recipients of the
experiences we have when socializing with these people in the micro system environment, but
we are contributing to the construction of such environment.
2. The Mesosystem
The mesosytem involves the relationships between the microsystems in one's life. This means
that your family experience may be related to your school experience. For example, if a child is
neglected by his parents, he may have a low chance of developing positive attitude towards his
teachers. Also, this child may feel awkward in the presence of peers and may resort to
withdrawal from a group of classmates.
3. The Exosystem
The exosystem is the setting in which there is a link between the context where in the person
does not have any active role, and the context where in is actively participating. Suppose a child
is more attached to his father than his mother. If the father goes abroad to work for several
months, there may be a conflict between the mother and the child's social relationship, or on the
other hand, this event may result to a tighter bond between the mother and the child.
4. The Macrosystem
The macrosystem setting is the actual culture of an individual. The cultural contexts involve the
socioeconomic status of the person and/or his family, his ethnicity or race and living in a still
developing or a third world country. For example, being born to a poor family makes a person
work harder every day.
5. The Chronosystem
The chronosystem includes the transitions and shifts in one's lifespan. This may also involve the
socio-historical contexts that may influence a person. One classic example of this is how divorce,
as a major life transition, may affect not only the couple's relationship but also their children's
behavior. According to a majority of research, children are negatively affected on the first year
after the divorce. The next years after it would reveal that the interaction within the family
becomes more stable and agreeable.
Value of the Theory
This theory, published in 1979, has influenced many psychologists in terms of the manner of
analyzing the person and the effects of different environmental systems that he encounters. The
ecological systems theory has since become an important theory that became a foundation of
other theorists' work.
Urie Bronfenbrenner and Child Development
One final developmental theory needs to be addressed, even though it's not a
stage theory. Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) developed the ecological
systems theory to explain how everything in a child and the child's environment
affects how a child grows and develops. He labeled different aspects or levels of
the environment that influence children's development, including the
microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, and the macrosystem. The
microsystem is the small, immediate environment the child lives in. Children's
microsystems will include any immediate relationships or organizations they
interacts with, such as their immediate family or caregivers and their school or
daycare. How these groups or organizations interact with the child will have an
effect on how the child grows; the more encouraging and nurturing these
relationships and places are, the better the child will be able to grow.
Furthermore, how a child acts or reacts to these people in the microsystem will
affect how they treat her in return. Each child's special genetic and biologically
influenced personality traits, what is known as temperament, end up affecting
how others treat them. This idea will be discussed further in a later document
about child temperament.
Bronfenbrenner's next level, the mesosystem, describes how the different parts
of a child's microsystem work together for the sake of the child. For example, if
a child's caregivers take an active role in a child's school, such as going to
parent-teacher conferences and watching their child's soccer games, this will
help ensure the child's overall growth. In contrast, if the child's two sets of
caretakers, mom with step-dad and dad with step-mom, disagree how to best
raise the child and give the child conflicting lessons when they see him, this will
hinder the child's growth in different channels.
The exosystem level includes the other people and places that the child herself
may not interact with often herself but that still have a large affect on her, such
as parents' workplaces, extended family members, the neighborhood, etc. For
example, if a child's parent gets laid off from work, that may have negative
affects on the child if her parents are unable to pay rent or to buy groceries;
however, if her parent receives a promotion and a raise at work, this may have a
positive affect on the child because her parents will be better able to give her
her physical needs.
Bronfenbrenner's final level is the macrosystem, which is the largest and most
remote set of people and things to a child but which still has a great influence
over the child. The macrosystem includes things such as the relative freedoms
permitted by the national government, cultural values, the economy, wars, etc.
These things can also affect a child either positively or negatively.
Urie Bronfenbrenner (April 29, 1917September 25, 2005) was a very famous and
influential, Russian American psychologist known for developing his path breaking,
"Ecological Systems Theory." His theories impacted the education of disadvantaged and
marginalized sections of society.

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Theory holds that 'development' is influenced by several
environmental systems. The theory identifies five environmental systems. The five
environmental systems are:
"Microsystem: This refers to the immediate surroundings of the individual. These
contexts include the person's family, peers, school, and neighborhood. It is in the
microsystem that the most direct interactions with social agents take place; with
parents, peers, and teachers, for example. The individual is not merely a passive
recipient of experiences in these settings, but someone who actually helps to
construct the social settings.
Mesosystem: This refers to the relations between the different microsystems or
connections between contexts. Some common examples are the connection
between family experiences and school experiences, school experiences to church
experiences, and family experiences to peer experiences. For example, children
whose parents have rejected them may have difficulty developing positive relations
with their friends or peers.
Exosystem: Is concerned with the connection between a social setting in which the
individual does not have an active role and the individual's immediate context. For
example, a wife's or child's experience at home may be influenced by the husband's
experiences at work. The father might receive a promotion that requires more travel,
which might increase conflict with the wife and affect patterns of interaction with the
child.
Macrosystem: Describes the culture in which individuals live. Culture meaning the
ways of people. Cultural contexts would include socioeconomic status, poverty, and
ethnicity.
Chronosystem: Refers to the patterning of environmental events and transitions
over the life of an individual as well as sociohistorical circumstances. For example,
divorce is one transition. Researchers have found that the negative effects of divorce
on children often peak in the first year after the divorce. Two years after the divorce,
family interaction is less chaotic and more stable. An example of sociohistorical
circumstances, would be the increasing opportunities for women to pursue a career.
The ecological theory is one among the many different theories related to human
development. It emphasizes environmental factors as playing the major role to
development. However this theory varies from culture to culture.