Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory views child development as being influenced by different environmental systems, ranging from immediate interactions with family and friends (microsystem) to broader cultural values (macrosystem). It provides a framework to examine social contexts across settings, bridging behavioral and anthropological theories. However, it pays little attention to biological and cognitive factors. Erikson's psychosocial theory proposes eight stages of development across the lifespan. Each stage involves a crisis of developing virtues over vices. For example, infants develop trust over mistrust based on caregiver interactions. If resolved positively, each stage contributes to healthy development. While providing a lifespan view, the theory is criticized for being too rigid in its staging of socio

2. BRONFENBRELLER’S ECOLOGICAL THEORY
CONTEMPORARY THEORIES

3. • Bronfenbreller (1917-2005) focused on the social context in which children live
and the people who influenced their development. His ecological theory
consist of 5 environmental system from close-interpersonal interaction to
broad-based influences of culture.
• Micro System: In this stage, individual spends considerable time or has direct
interaction with environment. For Example Family, Friends, Neighbors, School
etc
• Meso System: it involves linkage among micro systems. For Example:
Conneciton between family experiences and school experiences and between
family and peers.
• Exo System: It works when individual experiences another setting. For
example: Legal service, social welfare, mass media etc
• Macro System: it is used in broader context as it is based on cultural learning.
For example: attitutue, behavior and norms and values
• Chrono System: it is related with socio-historical conditions of individual’s
development.
• For example: life of today’s children differs from that of their parents’
childhood.

4. EVALUATION OF THE THEORY:
• Pros: This theory provides framework for
examining social context, bridging the gap
between behavioral theories(small settings) and
anthropological theories (large settings)
• Cons: This theory pays little attention to
biological and cognitive factors in children’s
development and it does not address the step by
step developmental changes.
•

5. ERIKSON’S LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT THEORY

6. • Erikson (1902-1994) presented developmental view of
individual’s life in stages. He divided whole life into
eight stages. Each stage consists of developmental
tasks that confronts individual with a crisis. For Erikson,
each crisis is not a catastrophic but rather a turning
point of increased vulnerability and enhanced potential.
The more successfully an individual resolves each
crisis the more psychologically healthy the individual
will be. Each stage has both negative and positive
sides.

7. First Stage: Trust Vs. Mistrust
• Age span(1 year )
• According to Erikson, if child get warm welcome then trust will be produced and if he
faces ignorance, he would inculcate mistrust in himself.
Second Stage: Autonomy Vs. Shame
• Age Span ( 1 to3 years)
• According to Erikson, if children possess trust at their first stage, it develops into
autonomy.
• And if he is restrained too much and punished, then feeling of shame and fear will
develop.
Third Stage: Initiative Vs. Guilt
• Age Span ( 3 to 5 years)
• At this stage, children experience social world.
• If they are challenged more, their personality will develop into Initiative
• If they feel irresponsible, feeling of guilt will develop in them
• This is very pivotal stage in terms of education

8. Fourth Stage: Industry Vs. Inferiority
• Age Span (6 to Puberty )
• In this stage, individual wants to mastering knowledge and intellect skills
• If he succeeds in this, then he would be industrious
• Otherwise he would develop inferiority.
• It is also elementary school stage of children therefore school plays important role to develop their yielded
stage.
Fifth Stage: Identity Vs. identity Confusion
• Age Span (Adolescence 10to 20)
• At this stage, children want to know what they are or where they are
• They do many new roles like vocational and romantic at this stage
• They need to explore different roles to gain identity
• If not adequately explored, they will be confused.
Sixth Stage: Intimacy Vs. Isolation
• Age Span (20 to30 years )
• At this stage, feeling of intimacy will be produced if individual succeeds in establishing positive close
relations with others specially family and friends.
• If he fails, he would be victim of isolation.

9. Seventh Stage: Generativity Vs. Stagnation
• Age Span (40 to 50 years)
• Generatively takes places in this stage when individual transfers
positivity to next generation
• Stagnation results when he has done nothing for generation to
come.
Eighth Stage: Integrity Vs. Despair
• Age Span (60 until death )
• Older adults, tend to review their loves, reflecting on what they
have done.
• If retrospective is positive, integrity will develop and vice versa.

10. EVALUATION OF THEORY:
• Pros: Erikson views Human Development as
lifelong rather than only focused on childhood
span.
• b) Cons: Stages are too rigid. According to Bernic
Naugartan (1988)- the pioneer of life span
development, says that identity intimacy
independence and many other aspects of socio-
emotional development are not like beats on string
that appear in neatly pack aged age intervals rather
they are important issues throughout most of our
lives.

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