Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory proposes that a child's development is influenced by different environmental systems, including the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. The microsystem contains the relationships and interactions a child has with their immediate surroundings, such as family, school, neighbors, and peers. The mesosystem comprises the connections between a child's microsystems, while the exosystem involves contexts that don't directly involve the child but still influence them, such as a parent's workplace. Finally, the macrosystem cuts across all other systems and captures the culture and customs of the society.

1. Reporter: Portes, Abbygail L.

2. Born in Russia
Immigrated to the US at age 6
Enlisted in the US army immediately after
completing his PhD
Co-founder of the Head Start program
-Designed to serve at-risk nursery
students to prepare them for school

3. Development is the result of the
relationships between people and their
environments.

4. Implications
Cannot evaluate a child’s development
only in the immediate environment.
Must also examine the interactions among
the larger environments that a child
develops in.

5. Microsystem: Relationships with direct
contact to the child
Mesosystem: Connection between
relationships of child’s Microsystem
Exosystem: Structures in which child
the child does not have direct contact
Macrosystem: Cultural context

6. Based on Bronfenbrenner, U. 1979. The Ecology of Human
Development. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

7. Variables that the child is directly exposed to
Relationships: Family, school, religious
institution, neighbors
Family: Most influential and durable influence
on child
Environment: Geographic, Material structures
Child’s body
General health
Brain functioning – physiological and
psychological
Emotions
Cognitive System

8. Most of the child’s behavior is learned in
the microsystem
The microsystem consists of bi-directional
influences
Parents actively shape the development
of the child
Children actively shape their
environment
Personal attributes influence
responses from other people
Children actively select and avoid
specific environments
Bi-directional relationships are the
foundation for a child’s cognitive and
emotional growth

9. Interconnections between the
microsystems.
Examples:
Interactions between the family and
teachers
Relationship between the child’s peers
and the family

10. Institutions of society that indirectly
affect a child’s development
Examples:
Parent’s workplace
Funding for education
These impact a child’s development
by influencing structures in the
microsystem

11. Cultural context
Provides the values, beliefs, customs, and
laws of the culture in which a child grows up
- Influences how parents, teachers, and
others raise a child
- May be conscious or unconscious
Influences the societal values, legislation,
and financial resources provided by a
society to help families function
Influences the interactions of all other layers

12. Properties of the four layers of
relationship
Each layer has an effect on a child’s
development
Each layer is complex
Conflict within any layer ripples
throughout other layers
As a child develops, interaction within
environments becomes more complex
Complexity is the result of the
maturation of a child’s physical and
cognitive structures

13. Strengths
Integrates multiple influences on child
development
Weaknesses
Does not provide detailed
mechanisms for development

14. Primary relationship must be intended to
last a lifetime
Teachers need to work to support the
primary child-adult relationship
Schools should create an environment
that welcomes and nurtures families
Education should foster societal attitudes
that value all work done on behalf of
children