Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model

Developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) emphasized the importance of studying children and adults in real life settings (Bronfenbrenner, 1994). He focused on examining the entire ecological system in which growth and development occurs. His ecological systems model is used to describe how a young person’s development is influenced by various socio-cultural contexts. Bronfenbrenner's model (1994) includes a series of nested contexts. Five socially organized subsystems support and guide human growth, and each of these systems inevitably interact with and influence each other.

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model

Moving from the innermost system to the outside, the microsystem is a contained setting that directly involve a young person like their home, family, peer group, work, and school.

The mesosystem is an interaction or connection between two or more settings that directly involve a young person (Bronfenbrenner, 1994).

“For example, when home and school environments intersect, they become a mesosystem. Researchers have examined the processes and interactions between microsystems such as home, school, and neighborhood. For example, some research evidence finds that parental involvement in the home may have a significant impact on a child’s school performance” (Epstein, 2001).

The exosystem is another setting, but it does not contain the young person.

A parent’s workplace is one such setting. While youth may not be directly involved in their parent’s professional work, they may be affected indirectly by events that occur within that setting.

The macrosystem involves patterns and characteristics of a given culture, or a society’s norms and values.

The macrosystem can be thought of as “society’s blueprint” or way of life for a particular community (Bronfenbrenner, 1994, p.40). These values may shape and affect particular conditions that youth experience. For instance, a teen’s family may share negative attitudes about digital and networked technologies. Family perspectives may shape his own experiences and access to technology.

Finally, the chronosystem, examines the passage of time, focusing on the changes within the environment in which a young person lives and interacts.

For example, changes in family structure, socioeconomic status, and residency, can greatly impact developmental outcomes of youth.

As a whole, each of these systems interrelate and interact with one another, demonstrating the role of environmental factors in a young person’s development over time.