Analysis of Childhood Development Through Bronfenbrenner's Framework

This essay delves into Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, exploring how various environmental systems influence childhood development. It examines the five key systems: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem, providing examples of how each system impacts a child's behavior and growth. The essay discusses the interconnectedness of these systems, highlighting the role of family, school, culture, and socioeconomic factors. By analyzing these different environments, the essay emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to ensure optimal child development. References from Bronfenbrenner, Burns, Hope, Pittenger, Sallis and Tudge are provided to support the discussion. The essay concludes by reinforcing the significance of environmental factors in shaping a child's overall development. This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the ecological model and its practical implications, providing valuable insights into child psychology and development. This is a great resource for students, and more like it can be found on Desklib.

Running head: CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
Childhood development
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CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT 2
Introduction
Bronfenbrenner, (2018) argues that, various environmental systems contribute to the way
human beings develops. The known psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner illustrate how human
nature have different behaviors when they are with the family members and when they are away
such as in school. To assist people to understand how the environment influence child
development, Bronfenbrenner brings out five central environmental systems to illustrate how
each factor contribute to the behavior of the child in different places
The five systems in the ecological model.
The theory of ecological system, claim that children meet multiple environments while growing
up that determines their behaviors in various ways. The five systems comprise of the macro
system, microsystem, exosystem, chronosystem, and mesosystem according Burns, Warmbold-
Brann & Zaslofsky, (2015).
a. The exosystem
Hope & Spencer, (2017) says that, exosystem refers to the environment whereby there is
a connection between a situation where one is actively participating in the matters taking place
around him or her and a case where the individual does not take part in any role. Considering a
family having a child and the child has a strong connection between him and her mother as
compared to the father if at one time the mother finds a job abroad and leaves the child with the
father, it results to a common disagreement between the child and the father. However, as time
goes one may find that the bond between the child and the father can continue to grow strong.
b. Microsystem

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The microsystem refers to the more intimate environment one has in life. The right environment
can comprise of the teachers, classmates, members of the family among other close neighbors.
Children always have direct interaction with these group of people, and from the theory, it
elaborates that children do not just receive actions from these people, but they also influence the
generation of those action and environment.
c. Chronosystem
Chronosystem comprises shifting an environment during one’s lifespan. For instance, when
parents’ divorce, the child may go with the mother or remain with the father, such issues result to
transition. The process of transiting does have not only the effect on the parents but also the child
in reference to Tudge, Payir, Merçon‐Vargas, Cao, Liang, Li & O'Brien (2016).
d. Mesosystem
In mesosystem, it explains the relationship between two different environments that the child is
going through at any moment — for example, the family environment and the school
environment according to Pittenger, Huit & Hansen, (2016). In some instances, there can be a
problem within the family, and the child develops a poor attitude to one of the parents. If the
same child goes to school, he or she may extend the hatred to the teachers thus resulting in a
weak relationship between the child and the teachers.
e. Macrosystem
Macrosystem, on the other hand, deals with the way of life of people. In culture, one may
encounter factors such as socioeconomic issue, coming from a lowly developed place, ethnicity
among other factors. One may take an example of socioeconomic status; a family may be

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expressing difficulty in meeting their daily needs according to Sallis, Owen & Fisher, (2015).
Such factor motivates the child always to work hard whether in school or at home to the future.
Conclusion
It is true that the environment is an essential factor in influencing a child’s development.
The above essay has illustrated a different environment that has an influence to child’s
development. It is good to balance them to ensure the child gets the best he or she needs.
References
Bronfenbrenner, U. (2018). Urie Bronfenbrenner: Learning Context. Learning Theories for
Early Years Practice, 66.
Burns, M. K., Warmbold-Brann, K., & Zaslofsky, A. F. (2015). Ecological systems theory in
school psychology review. School Psychology Review, 44(3), 249-261.

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Hope, E. C., & Spencer, M. B. (2017). Civic engagement as an adaptive coping response to
conditions of inequality: An application of phenomenological variant of ecological
systems theory (PVEST). In Handbook on positive development of minority children and
youth (pp. 421-435). Springer, Cham.
Pittenger, S. L., Huit, T. Z., & Hansen, D. J. (2016). Applying ecological systems theory to
sexual revictimization of youth: A review with implications for research and
practice. Aggression and violent behavior, 26, 35-45.
Sallis, J. F., Owen, N., & Fisher, E. (2015). Ecological models of health behavior. Health
behavior: Theory, research, and practice, 5, 43-64.
Tudge, J. R., Payir, A., Merçon‐Vargas, E., Cao, H., Liang, Y., Li, J., & O'Brien, L. (2016). Still
misused after all these years? A reevaluation of the uses of Bronfenbrenner's
bioecological theory of human development. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 8(4),
427-445.