Bronfenbrenner_Anaylsis

Running Head: Urie Bronfenbrenner's Urie Bronfenbrenner's Analysis Sharon M. Cooper Capella University Survey of Research in Human Development and Behavior HS 5003 Dr. Stephanie Brooke 11/03/2010 Abstract Urie Bronfenbrenner was known as the developer of ecological theory. He was one that studied a vast majority of relationships that connected the developing of children and the relationship between their parents. In this study he connected the relationships to society, cultural environment social settings along with economic factors. He created four levels of environmental influences, which is known as the meso-, micro-, macro- and exo- systems. These systems are all connected to each other representing the degrees of intimate relationships. The constancy and changes were decided by the passage of time, the chronosystem. Pondering over the ecological system my life events lead me to work towards my first Master’s of Arts degree were demonstrated through associations within the ecological model. At the age of 17, I was one of the top ten in my graduating class. Upon receiving my high school diploma, I started pursuing my undergraduate degree and received my Bachelor’s of Arts degree at the age 21. After 13 ½ years I went back to school to follow my dreams by achieving my first graduate degree. Reflecting over the years that I thought I lost and not wanting to undergo this feeling again I became both a full time student and employee taking anywhere from 9 to 12 hours per semester. Seven years later, which is known as number of completion, wanting to enhance my experience on my current job I decided to obtain a second master degree. After evaluating Bronfenbrenner ecological theory of Development, I would put myself into the micro system, which had this major setback in me progressing my education. To put into simple words how Bronfenbrenner ecological theory of development and how these levels have persuaded my decision to sign up for graduate school to receive my first and now my second degree. Urie Bronfenbrenner assumed the study of developmental influences must consist of the person’s relations with the surroundings, the persons altering physical and social settings, the interaction among those surroundings, and how the entire development is affected by the world in which the surroundings are surrounded” (Vander Zanden, Crandell, Crandell, 2009). Bronfenbrenner labeled different aspects or levels of the environment that influence children's development, including the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. Micro system: This system is referred to as the settings in which a person lives in, which includes the family, peer group, neighborhood and school life. It has been suggested that this system helps mold a person developmentally because of the person(s) they have direct contact with. The individuals is not just a submissive recipient of experiences in these surroundings, but someone who in fact helps to construct the community settings. Meso System: This system is the connection involving meso and micro systems. Both the micro and meso system correlate with each other, which can be seen with the relationship between family, school life and the community. A description of this is where the peer groups may distort the performance of an individual in school or even the relationship of an individual with his or her family. Exosystem: The exo system the individual unfortunately has no active role in determining the settings however the settings have direct influence on the individual. An illustration of this is the places where schools are built by the government will create a micro system environment. With the economy in today’s society a parent may be laid off from work which will result to certain outcomes to the family example of low income levels, leading to the lack of basic needs in the family. Macro system: This system is the system that is caused by the philosophy in the society or the culture of the society. This influences the individual directly but the individual has less in determining his settings, an example includes ideologies such as democracy, capitalism and socialism. Chronosystem: Finally, this system was developed by Bronfenbrenner, as a consequence of this system develops as a persons encounter in his/her life. The environmental events and adjustment in an individual’s life are incorporated as well as the history of the individual. The ecological theory is one surrounded by the many  diverse theories connected to human development. It highlights environmental dynamics which plays the most important role to development. However this theory varies from culture to culture. Although Bronfenbrenner’s model focuses on child development, it should be noted that maturity, decline, decompose and demise are also factors, which could be observed. References Addison, T. J. (2002). Urie Bronfenbrenner, Human Ecology, 21(3), 15-21. Retrieved October 22, 2010 http://www.ezproxy.library.capella.edu/login'url=http://search.ebs. Bronfenbrenner, U. Ecological model of human development. International Encyclopedia of Education: Elsevier. Reprinted in: Gauvain.M & Cole, M. (eds.), Readings on the development of children, 2nd. Ed. (2004, pp. 38-44). NY: Freeman. Retrieved October 31, 2010 http://www.psy.cmu.edu/~siegler/3bronfenbrenner94.pdf. Bronfenbrenner, U. Ecology of the family as a context for human development: research perspectives. Developmental Psychology, vol 32 (4), Nov. 1998. pp 725-744. Retrieved October 31, 2010 http://www.web.ebscohost.com.library.capella.edu.\ Vander Zanden, J.W., Crandell, T.L. & Crandell, C.H. (2009). Human Development (8th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill. Wood, M. (2002). The psychology of career theory-a new perspective' Career development international, 7 (4), and 237-248. Retrieved October 19, 2010 from ABI/Inform global database (document id: 78292179).