Soc 312 - Bioecological System

Bioecological Theory

Soc312: Child, Family and Society

Bioecological Systems

There are four systems that make up the Bioecological Model of Human Development. These four systems, according to Bronfenbrenner, are the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem and the macrosystem (Berns, 2010). Each of these systems has a specific role in human development and these models help to determine evaluate child behavioral patterns and how they may affect the child as they grow into adults. Each of the systems has specific parameters; the microsystem defines the living area of the individual, the mesosystem focuses on the relationships that are going on within the microsystem of the individual, the exosystem defines the influences that the individual lives around which he has no control over and how those influences affect their life, and the macrosystem, which defines the cultural surroundings that the individual lives in (Lake, 2003). The outside influences that affect the growth and development of a child as they grow, such as the home they live in, the community they live in, the church they attend, and their ancestry, are all very important in the growth and development process. The relationships and inner twining that are functions within each of the systems all culminate together to develop the bioecological model for human growth and development, and the interactions between the systems as well as within the systems are an integral part of the structure of each individual (Lake, 2003)

The four systems that make up the Bioecological are the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem and the macrosystem. Each of these systems interacts with the others to develop a child's human relationships, and each of these relationships have a direct impact on the formation of the child's potential for achievement in their life (Oswalt, 2008).

The microsystem consists of the activities and the immediate surroundings of the child, which includes their family life, the neighborhood they live in and the childcare environment that they are a part of. A lot of relationships are formed in this system and these relationships have bidirectional influences on the child, both away and toward the child, such as the influence that the parents have on a child and the influence that the child may have on the parent (Tangient LLC, 2011). Any person that they child comes in contact with in their microsystem can affect the child's life and the quality of the relationships that the child forms becomes the basis for their future relationships.

The relationships within the microsystem can be very beneficial to a child or they can be detrimental to a child. If the child is raised in a microsystem where they are treated with respect, they are encouraged and nurtured as they grow, and they are taught how to handle life in a positive manner, then the child will be able to grow up and feel secure and self assured as they develop. If a child is raised in an environment where they are mistreated, they are not encouraged to grow and prosper in their lives and are in a negative atmosphere, they will grow to be withdrawn and insecure as the develop (Oswalt, 2008).

The relationships within the microsystem also have a big effect on how a child learns to interact with others as they grow. The actions and reactions of the child to the people within their microsystem, as well as the actions and reactions of the people to the child, within the child's microsystem are often based on the genetic make-up of the child, or the temperament of the child (Oswalt, 2008). If a child has a good temperament then they are often treated in a much more positive and nurturing manner than those with a bad temperament.

The mesosystem is where the environment that the child lives within intertwines with their daily surroundings, which is what connects their worlds together to help them form and develop their coexistence in the world (Tangient LLC, 2011). If a child is raised in a family where the mother and father are interactive in the child's life, such as attending school functions, taking an active part in the care giving of the child, and attending social and athletic functions that the child is a part of, then this will help to ensure that the child will grow up to feel sure of themselves and accepted by their peers. On the other hand, if a child grows up in a family where there are differences of opinion on how to raise the child and how the child should be cared for, then the child receives mixed signal and grows up confused about what is really right and what is really wrong, which can make it very difficult for a child to understand where they actually do fit into the world as they grow (Oswalt, 2008).

The mesosystem intertwines the child's communication channels with the child's relationship that they have learned within their microsystem and that is what forms the individual and the connecting factors in the mesosystem are the home, school, friends, child care facilities, neighborhoods and the church life they are raised in (Baxter, 2009). If the relationships between the home lives are not cohesive, such as the teacher wants the child to read, and the parent is not supportive of the idea of reading while the child is at home, then the child will feel the strain from the two different worlds and will usually not do as well in school (Baxter, 2009). The lines of communication need to be open and positive within the systems and the child has a much better chance of growing into a positive and self assured adult.

The learning style of a child is a very important factor in determining the best type of learning environment for that individual. The response of the child's teacher to their learning style has a major affect on the child's learning experience. The way a child learns is also a major factor in their ability to socialize, and the teacher can be very beneficial to the child if they are supportive and effectively motivating to the child's individual needs (Berns, 2010).

The family connection with the school has a great effect on the socialization skills of the child. The socialization starts with family, but it is extended to school via the formal education process. Getting the families involved with the school is one way to help improve the interest that a child has in their schoolwork (Paquette, 2001). The degree of effectiveness of the socialization process has a lot to do with the family that the child is reared in and the value that they place on education.

The school media connection is another very important factor in helping to teach children (Berns, 2010). The use of educational programs