Ecological Systems Theory

From the sentence a soulfulness first enters this ground until they taketheir final breath, they go through many tacks that get out shape their address and fit how they handle situations in their animation. Many different psychologists thrust analyse tender-hearted behavior and why it is that we react a certain stylus in different notice, and ultimately why we be hasten in the dash that we do. Urie Bronfenbrenner developed a vex called the ecologic Systems Theory that attempts to explain what factors play a psyches behavior and which wholenesss take the near impact.The model is broken down into five corpses the Microsystem, Mesosystem, Exosystem, Macrosystem, and Chronosystem. The Microsystem is considered the most intimate or most influential level and it consists of the interactions amongst the person and their family or their ending friends. These enamours argon bidirectional, meaning that both sides be workd equally. For good example, a pincer who is very ease and obedient will most likely cause the arouse to be calm and trusting of the tike. On the other hand, if the arouse is very tight and harsh towards the child, the child may feel the urge to rebel against the parent.The Mesosystem fundamentally represents the connections between the Microsystems. This means that there is more than one factor that influences a situation in ones life. For example, if a young savant is doing poorly in school, it crowd out be due to neediness of parent involvement in their academics, or if the parents show interest in the childs school life at all. A nonher example of this would be if an employee was not doing well in the work bottom, it could be linked back to a fight at inhabitancy or the lack of communication with a spouse. The next level in the system is the Exosystem.This system is made up of pay backs or factors that do not necessarily contain the developing person merely nevertheless hurl an impact in their life. These fac tors or experiences suffer be formal or informal organizations. Formal organizations consist of tractile work schedules or paid maternity or paternity leaves and these circumstances tail corroboratoryly influence the parent-child kindred. Informal organizations groundworknister consist of the parents genial networks, such as sloshed friends or relatives that fuel offer advice or friendship in the childs life.These relationships passel provide a sense of trust and blood line of love in the life of the child. This system can likewise be observed in a way that will affect the childs life negatively. For example, if the parents do not swallow close friends or a purport of acceptance in the confederacy, there has been shown to be an increased risk of child abuse and conflict at heart the family. The Macrosystem is a much broader system that consists of the cultural values, morals, customs, and resources in the community.An example of this would be if a child attends a privy school that closely monitors the behavior of the children and tries to instill moral values, the child cleverness experience a more enjoy commensurate conviction during their school sexagenarian age. Bronfenbrenner delimitate the ever-changing nature of a persons environment to be the Chronosystem. He noted that there were many factors that can influence or change the circumstances of ones life, which he called Ecological Transitions. Ecological Transitions could be any event such as starting college, acquire married, getting divorced, graduating high school or college, becoming a parent, or retiring.All of these instances could be considered milestones in someone s life that can have a major impact in the routine or schedule one is familiar to. For the project, I chose to conduct an interview with my auntie, who is responsibility off forty-eight years old. In the interview, I asked her questions that would reveal what or who were the influences in her life and what w ere the major special events that occurred. I repeated the interview with her double the first to ask her more or less her life at the while of sap and so again at the age of thirty-six.I put up that it was very elicit to interview my aunt about her experience at the age of twenty-one, only two years older than I am now. I tried to compare her influences, c erstrns, and experiences with mine and found that we are similar in many ways I was not aware of, but overly very different in others. There were many factors in my aunts life that influenced where she is today in her life. When she was twenty-one, in the Microsystem level, three plenty that genuinely influenced her life at the duration were my grandparents, Mimi and Papa, and my great grandmother, Mamette.My aunt was exceedingly close to Mamette, and confided in her in many ways. Since all three were members of her close family, they would be considered affair of this system and very crucial to her development at the condemnation. My aunt told me after she graduated from college all she wanted to do was companionship and not pass a job, and I found that these factors and this mindset were part of the Mesosystem. The fact that she was partying all the time, or her social life, was hindering her from finding a job and moving on from her college days.Since the Mesosystem is essentially factors that influence other factors or circumstances, the fact that she had recently graduated from college made her feel like she had the right to party and not find a job. Another factor in her lack of diligence toward finding a job was that her parents did not aim a lot of pressure on her to do so. Along with factors in the Microsystem and Mesosystem, the Exosystem in her life consisted of many influences that played a role in the crisis of no motivation and partying all the time.One factor in this system was that many of her friends were getting jobs after they graduated college, and she knew that she shoul d be searching for one, but the motivation was not there. Another factor was that she may have mat up that she deserved to have some time off after work so potent in college. These examples are forms of informal organizations in the Exosystem. An example of a formal organization was that she applied for a job with the IRS and she was hold for them to call her about her application.She jokes during her interview that she would still be in that give if she didnt look for another job until the IRS called her back because its been twenty-seven years and they still havent called The Macrosystem played a role in her development at that time also. She mentioned how life just seemed more laid back and carefree times were easier and there was no terrorism (that she knew of). The finishing was also more wholesome than it is now and the moral values of the s oil were at higher standards.One strain of the country and the economy was the oil crisis that erupted during the 80s. She rememb ers expensive gas and oil, and that the economy was not very unanimous during that time. As she reflected on this time of her life, she says that there were experiences during that time of her life that have an impact on her life now. Sometimes she wishes she could go back to that time of fun and no worries, but what was most important about that time of her life was the friendships she made. Shes learned life is not about a job, money, or objects, but about the relationships one makes along the way.She has recently at peace(p) through a divorce, and she says that she could have never made it through that hard time without the friends she made in high school, college, her sorority, or even in the past couple years. The Chronosystem encompasses changes over time and how one develops over a lifetime. Her reflection and the amount she has grown as a person in the last couple decades is an example of the way a human can change and mature in this particular system. Next, I interviewed my aunt about her life when she was thirty-six years old and lived in Houston, TX.She described this time as some of the better years of her life. Her son, Mike, was six years old and her daughter, Stacey, was only three. She reminisced about the neighborhood bar-b-ques, pig roasts, her amazing church, the kids summer camp, and great friends. During the interview I could tell that she truly longed to go back to this time. Her Microsystem level consisted of her beat friends, Dana and Diane, and her give-and-take battle celestial sphere Fellowship leader, Gloria Day. These state truly shaped her life at the time and she was explaining how they still have an impact on her now.Just the other day she talked to her friend, Dana, about her divorce, and she can see just how important these influences are in her life. The Mesosystem at this time consisted of the influence of the guidance she acquired in Bible Study Fellowship that stand byed her to be a better mother and spouse. Also, her church served as an outlet for her to find good friends that would hold her accountable and provide advice and companionship when she needed it most. In the Exosystem there were many areas in her life that socially provided experiences and interactions that would influence her at the time.The formal organization of this level was the fact that she was a stay-at- plaza mom, magnanimous her more time with her children and the ability to focus on universe the best mother she could be. Another example of an informal organization would be her Bible Study Fellowship. Here she could make friends with the same beliefs and morals, and really gain a group that would provide great stability and accountability. The Macrosystem during this time consisted of a randy economy, the price of gas was cheap, and, again, there was no fear or get of terrorism.She noted how practically everyone in her neighborhood was an engineer. The stress that we now experience today of terrorist attacks and a failing economy was not present. I once again asked to reflect on her life at that time, and see how her experiences then have influenced her life now. This answer came to her much easier than when I asked her about the influence of her experiences when she was twenty-one. Her involvement in Bible Study Fellowship showed her how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, and how to apply her study of the Bible to real life.Her leader, Gloria Day, truly inspired her to grow in her walk with God and rely on Him for everything. She revealed in the interview how she had been going through some very lummox times, and if she did not have the information she learned through Bible Study Fellowship, she would not have had the same optimistic and hopeful view of her struggles now. oer time, her walk with the Lord has gone through times when she was very close with Him, and times when she was not. In the Chronosystem, her relationship with God and her spiritual beliefs have been the be factor of her inner strength as a person.Along with her relationship with God, many major events, or ecological transitions, occurred from the time that she was twenty-one and thirty-six. For example, she found a job, got married, became a parent, and moved. All of these events can have an influence on ones character and well-being. They can have a flux effect in someones life, influencing many parts during one time. My aunt recalled that she absolutely hated moving, and they would stay in the same place for about three years.She said the first year was always the hardest, the heartbeat year was better, and the third was when they were finally settled but then my uncle would have to move again for his job. The moving process always took a campana on her family and kids, never truly establishing a place for them to call home. Another ecological transition for her during this time was getting married. Marriage is emphatically an adjustment and her decision in the man she chose to marry may not have necessarily been the right one. Nevertheless, changes that one experiences in their life adopt adjustment, or an ecological transition.The Microsystem, Mesosystem, Exosystem, Macrosystem, and Chronosystem are the ecological systems in our lives that influence our character, morals, and decisions. From the time my aunt was twenty-one to thirty-six, the influences in her life changed drastically. Instead of being influenced by her parents and grandmother like when she was younger, she was more independent from her family and her close friends and analyze Gods word had the most impact on her. decently after she graduated from college, she was not concentrate on growing up or finding a job, but mostly on partying and having a good time.She matured greatly when she started a family, as she became more focuse on others rather than herself. Virtually everything in her life changed when she had children, from her schedule to her priorities. As the influences and events in m y aunts life changed over the years, so will mine when I am older. My ecological systems will always be transforming as I graduate college, get married, and eventually have children. reclaim now my life is focused around what is best for me my education, social life, and health.I am still dependent on my parents for guidance and support, but I am beginning to lean more on Gods will for my life and trusting in Him rather than advice from other people. after(prenominal) I graduate my Mesosystem will change, along with my Exosystem, Macrosystem, and Chronosystem. By acquiring the association of how factors influence an individual, I will be able to truly cook what those factors are in my life and decide which are in my best interest. In conclusion, Studying Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems Theory was very interesting and I feel it will be very ministrant to greet in my future teaching career.When a child is misbehaving and is not playacting to their best ability in school, I can look into their home life and see if there are any distractions or added stresses that could be hindering their academic performance. Also, I hope to provide a source of guidance and comfort for my students that extend past the realm of academics, but can better them as a person in the long run. Urie Bronfenbrenner was a brilliant man whose research and theories can help people have a better go steadying about the influences in their lives and how to use them to their intact advantage.Ecological Systems TheoryDespite previous theories, Erie Brotherlinesss ecological systems theory continues o be one of the most comprehensive theories used to better understand human needs. That Is why it has become Increasingly Important to be able to recognize the key concepts of the ecological systems theory and to be able to severalise what characteristics set this theory apart from other theories. Once this level of competence is achieve, workers should be able to bring up what kind of problems and/or nodes this theory would be helpful with.This skill can only be mastered by understanding every detail of the ecological systems theory. Discussion According to Whooper, Rooney, running blackberry Rooney, Storm-Gottfried, and Larsen (2010), the ecological systems theory suggests that Individual engagement with other human beings (niche) and systems within the environment (habitat) are two of the most influential factors that determine human needs. This is because both factors reciprocally influence each other (2010).For instance, a change in a persons environment typically changes the kind of people that person interacts with and the type of resources that person has access to. If I decided to move from the projects to he suburbs, I would be exposed to a new community. My new community will allow me to network with people who I might not have had the opportunity to network with when I lived In the projects. My move from the projects to the suburbs could also provide me with access to more resources such as libraries and jobs.A change in a persons niche or habitat can be absolute or negative. The ecological systems theory makes it clear that it is desirable to have a positive and well-balanced niche and habitat. This Is because the satisfaction of human needs and mastery of placement task require adequate resources In the environment and positive transactions between people and their environment (Whooper, Rooney, Dewberry Rooney, StormGottfried, and Larsen, 2010, 16).For example, a person who aspires to be a phenomenal business leader would be better prepared to take on that role if he or she had access to superior educational institutions and positive interaction with individuals who are already in this type of position. This is because the educational facilities can provide valuable intimacy to that Individual and the exposure to other traders can open up hands-on learning opportunities. Now Image If there were jailbreaks In any AT ten abo ve resources or negative Interactions Ana now tense gap could hinder that individuals needs and development.This notion that a persons life circumstances are based on individual interactions and different layers of his or her environment is what set the ecological systems theory apart from other theories. This is because, historically, theorists have only used one of the two variables to understand different aspects of human life. The ecological systems theory is helpful on both the micro and macro level of social work. For a clinical social worker, the ecological systems theory is the most helpful in phase one of the helping process.During this phase the worker explores thickening needs, taxes contributing factors, and devises a plan of action to help meet client needs. Taking an ecological systems approach to this phase will allow the worker to create a more accurate profile of client needs, help to determine what environmental absentees may be causing certain needs, determine i ndividuals who may be costively or negatively contributing to client needs, and to determine what actions need to take place to help bridge the gap between clients habitat and niche.Personally, the ecological systems theory appears to be an ingenious approach to the field of social work. It is very advantageous because it forces the worker and the client to create an broad picture of the clients reasons for needing a social worker. As human being we have a tendency to identify a single factor as the cause of all of our problems. The ecological system perspective is helpful in extending our coal point.Applying this theory would be the most beneficial to me when I am working with clients who are having difficulties meeting certain needs because of a lack of resources or with clients who have a drug abuse problem. I identify drug abuse clients because these types of clients typically use drugs as a contend mechanism to deal with some of their relationships or current living situation s. purpose In closing, the ecological systems theory is one of the best theories to apply when attempting to assess human needs.