Bronfenbrenners Ecological theory

The bioecological
model is
a
theoretical
model
of geneenvironment
interactions in human
development.
This
model,
first
proposed
by Urie
Bronfenbrenner and Stephen J. Ceci, in 1994, is an extension of Bronfenbrenner's original
theoretical model of human development, called ecological systems theory Bronfenbrenner
developed the bioecological model after recognizing that the individual was overlooked in other
theories of human development, which were largely focused on the context of development (e.g.,
the environment).
The bioecological model of human development can be applied to both children and
maturing adults, and is thus a lifespan approach to development. The framework emphasizes the
importance of understanding bidirectional influences between individuals development and their
surrounding environmental contexts.In the bioecological model, in contrast to his earlier models,
Bronfenbrenner also includes time (known as the chronosystem in his model) as an important
component in the way that people and environments change. The bioecological model proposed
a new method of conducting research which was heavily influential in developmental
psychology and is still considered relevant today
A significant implication of Bronfenbrenner's theory for helping professionals is
understanding how messages within these contexts must be concurrent. A significant point of
Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model is that individual development is more thorough
when there is convergence in belief systems. For example, challenges arise when the
Microsystem of the home collides with normative behavior in the Mesosystem of school. An
example of this would be a child that is exposed to violent behavior at home as an acceptable
means of communication coming to school and then interacting with others in a violent manner.
Bronfenbrenner himself speaks to this: "Development, it turns out, occurs through this process
of progressively more complex exchange between a child and somebody else specially
somebody who's crazy about that child." For individuals in the helping fields, being able to fully
grasp this "complex exchange" means sensing and articulating collisions between messages in
ecological systems. This is one way in which helping professionals can understand
Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory and its impact on the individual

Ecological systems theory, also called development in context or human ecology theory,
identifies five environmental systems with which an individual interacts. This theory provides
the framework from which community psychologists study the relationships with individuals'
contexts within communities and the wider society. Ecological systems theory was developed
by Urie Bronfenbrenner.

Microsystem: Refers to the institutions and groups that most immediately and directly
impact the child's development including: family, school, religious institutions,
neighborhood, and peers.

Mesosystem: Interconnections between the microsystems, Interactions between the

family and teachers, Relationship between the childs peers and the family

Exosystem: Involves links between a social setting in which the individual does not have
an active role and the individual's immediate context. For example, a parent's or child's
experience at home may be influenced by the other parent's experiences at work. The parent
might receive a promotion that requires more travel, which might increase conflict with the
other parent and change patterns of interaction with the child.

Macrosystem: Describes the culture in which individuals live. Cultural contexts include
developing and industrialized countries, socioeconomic status, poverty, and ethnicity. A
child, his or her parent, his or her school, and his or her parent's workplace are all part of a
large cultural context. Members of a cultural group share a common identity, heritage, and
values. The macrosystem evolves over time, because each successive generation may change
the macrosystem, leading to their development in a unique macrosystem.

Chronosystem: The patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life
course, as well as sociohistorical circumstances. For example, divorces are one transition.
Researchers have found that the negative effects of divorce on children often peak in the first
year after the divorce. By two years after the divorce, family interaction is less chaotic and
more stable. An example of sociohistorical circumstances is the increase in opportunities for
women to pursue a career during the last thirty years.