Reflection

Human Developmentin Social Context

HAS121

Lecture 3.1: Socialisation and social context

• Humanecology

• UrieBronfenbrenner

• Bioecologicalmodel of humandevelopment

In this lecture we will:

Learn about the following key concepts

• Human ecologyemphasisestheimportance of the contexts in whichone’s life-course progresses.

Human ecology

Biological, psychological, social and cultural contexts that shape processes of humandevelopment

• Majorbreakthrough was tointegrate study of children, families,andcontexts instead of looking at‘strange behaviour in strangesituations with strange adults’

UrieBronfenbrenner

Leading theoristin developmental psychology and human ecology

Bronfenbrenner’sBioecologicalModel of HumanDevelopment

Key points

A complex systems of relationships

• TheBronfenbrenner model incorporatesfiveenvironmentallevels which overlap to form a complex system of interlaced andinterdependent relationships between the individual and thesocial/physical setting which forms the individual.

• Developmentoccurs in increasingly complex reciprocalinteractions between individual and the environment

• Developmentinvolves an interaction between the person,environment, and outcome, with those contexts closest to usplaying the mostsignificantrole

• Individuals both influence and areinfluenced by their environments

• Whatis the person’stemperament?
• Whatis the person’s physicalattributes?
• Whatkind of personality doesthe person have?
• Whatare the person’scapacities?

The individual

Bi-directional

Microsystem

(micro = “small”)

• Activities and relationshipsexperienced by the individual in theclosest settings

• Whatparenting styles characterizedthis person’s parents?
• Howwas this person treated bytheir siblings?
• Howwould this person’s peerrelationships be described?
• Whatwas this person’s schoolenvironment like?
• Wasthe person involved in areligiousor spiritual communityand, if so, what kind of support didthat community provide?

When considering the microsystem, ask:

• Interrelationships between twoor more of a child’smicrosystems

Mesosystem

(meso= “intermediate”)

• What were the connectionsbetween the school and parentslike?
• Whatlinks to opportunities wereavailable to this person?

When thinking about the mesosystem, ask:

What is the relationship between microsystems?

• Settingsin which people are notactive participants, but that affectthem in one of theirmicrosystems

• Parents workplaces
• Government policy aboutincome support

Exosystem

(exo= “outside”)

• Aredecisions made with the impacton families and children inmind?
• Dothese settings contain supportsto help families balance the stressesthat are often created by thesesettings?

When thinking about theexosystem, ask:

• Thesociety and subcultures towhich people belong

Macrosystems

(macro = “large”)

• To what values—moral, religious,cultural—is this person exposed?
• Inthis person’s society, are somegroups valued at the expense ofothers (Is there sexism or racism)?
• Doesthis person’s society have anindividual or a collectivistorientation?

When thinking about themacrosystem, ask:

Imprinting and attachment

• Thepatterning of environmentalevents and transitions over the lifecourse & historic and societalchanges that impact differentgenerations

Chronosystems

(chrono= “time”)

When thinking about the chronosystem, ask:

• How have values changed within a societyover time?
• Howis a person’s later developmentinfluencedby their earlier development?

To be continued