Ecolological Theory

The ecological perspective is based on Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Framwork for Human Development, which is the most recognized and utilized social ecological model. With the Ecological systems theory, a child’s development is considered within the context of the systems of relationship that form their environment. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework for human development was first introduced in the 1970’s as a conceptual model and became a theoretical model in the 1980’s. The main premise of the theory is that in order to understand human development, the entire ecological system in which growth occurs needs to be considered. The ecological system is composed of five socially organized subsystems that support and guide human development. Within and between each system there are bi-directional influences. It is noted that these bi-directional influences indicate that the relationships have impact in two directions, both toward the child and away from the child. The microsystem is the layer that is closest to the child and has the direct contact with the children. This system basically entails the child’s immediate surroundings such as family, school, neighborhood, and daycare etc. Bronfenbrenner notes that the bi-directional influences are strongest and have the greatest impact on the child within the microsystem. The microsystem is responsible for the child’s initial exposure to the world and offers the child a large portion of their knowledge of the world. The family and caregiver’s help influence the child’s personality. The mesosystem connects two or more systems in which the child, parent, and family live. Mesosystems provide the connection between structures of the child’s microsystem. For example, the connection between the child’s parents and their teacher. The exosystem refers to the large social system in which the child does not directly function. The structures at this layer impact the child’s development by interacting with