Urie Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005) was a Russian- American developmental psychologist. In 1938, Bronfenbrenner completed his double major in psychology and music at Cornell University. Later that year he received his Masters of Arts (M.A.) from Harvard University; by 1942 Bronfenbrenner had completed his PhD at the University of Michigan. He then accepted a job offer as a Professor of Human Development at Cornell University.
Bronfenbrenner is most famous for his Ecological Systems Theory. He believed that his theory is best applicable when studies are done in a natural environment. Bronfenbrenner proposes that human development is shaped through interactions within different nested layers of context. As time progresses, the contexts shift, and the development of the person is altered. The layers in order of smallest to largest are as follows: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. I will be further examining his Ecological Model
from a personal perspective.
Individual Layer:
I am being affected by multipul layers in the system, and I also affect them. This layer inculudes all personal information about me, including: hight, weight, race, gender, economic status, ect.
Microsystems Layer:
The microsystem layer is where I directly live and play. This would be made up of my home, school, church, neighborhood, and many similar settings. The older I get, the more microsystems involved, because I am naturally more traveled and involved with more people and situations.
Mesosystems Layer:
The mesosystem layer is made up of the social interactions of the people within the microsystems. For example, one of my teachers could be reprimanded by the principal before I get to class. In turn, the teacher would be more irritable with the class that day. While I was not involved in that interaction between the teacher and principal, I was nonetheless affected by it.
Exosystems Layer:
The exosystem layer is the larger network where the mesosystem lies. This would include local government, healthcare, extended family, workplaces, and the like. While I doesn't have a direct interaction with these functions necessarily, they still shape me indirectly. For example, if one of my parents were to be laid off at work, I would still feel the impact of that interaction.
Macrosystems Layer:
The macrosystem layer is comprised of the ideologies, laws, customs, and values of the culture in the area in which I live.
Finally, the entirety of the layers is affected by time. As time progresses, I have more interactions within the microsystem. I am shaped by the interactions within that layer, and those I interact with are likewise shaped through interactions with me. The microsystem is constantly affected by the mesosystem and exosystem layers as well. Basically, as I grow and interact, the context in which I live is continuously shifting.
Sources Used:
http://fcs.sites.mjc.edu/109EcologicalModelofHumanDevHandout.pdf
http://paulgordonbrown.com/2014/06/23/applying-bronfenbrenners-student-development-theory-to-college-students-social-media/
http://www.famouspsychologists.org/urie-bronfenbrenner/
Images Used
http://www.balancedweightmanagement.com/TheSocio-EcologicalModel.htm