.:: Urie Bronfenbrenner ::.

Covering the section of Urie Bronfenbrenner and Ecological Systems Theory for Chapter 3: Molly Palmer

Article Title: The Vision of Urie Bronfenbrenner: Adults Who Are Crazy About Kids
Author: Larry K. Brendtro
Article Summary: This article introduces readers to the person and vision of Urie Bronfenbrenner, a Russian-born immigrant whose family came to the United States in 1922. Bronfenbrenner would emerge as one of the leading psychologists in human development and an advocate for cultural and economic improvements for children. His theory of ecological systems demonstrated his belief that each child is affected deeply by his or her environment. While the Ecological Systems Theory notes that there are several "social networks" at play, Brendtro emphasizes Bronfenbrenner's commitment to the most immediate networks connected to a child: parents, school, and peers. Bronfenbrenner believed that every child needs at least one adult who is "irrationally crazy" about them and willing to support them unconditionally. Brendtro introduces us to Bronfenbrenner, the idea of circles of influence, and Bronfenbrenner's practice of a practical study of children.

Key Points:

1. Urie Bronfenbrenner transformed the study of children in the fields of education, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and more by taking the focus away from studying narrow aspects of a child's world. He created a whole new field of study, the ecology of human development, which focuses on the reciprocal relationship between a child and his/her immediate networks.
2. According to Bronfenbrenner, in order for a child to succeed intellectually, emotionally, socially, and morally, they need at least one adult with whom they can form a long-term, reciprocal bond; this adult must be committed to the child's well-being and upbringing.
3. Bronfenbrenner's "circles of influence" (Ecological Systems Theory) consist of the most powerful and influential sphere (family, peers, school), surrounded by "neighborhood" influences (work, youth clubs, church, formal/informal mentoring, etc.), and finally surrounded by the sphere of broader cultural, economic, and political forces.
4. The different elements of the spheres also interact with one another, and this can strengthen or disrupt a healthy ecology for a child (for example, the relationship between a child's parents and their teachers).
5. Bronfenbrenner objected to studying child behavior through a narrow focus on microbehaviors. Instead, he believed that a practical approach meant studying children in their natural environments to explore how a child experiences and interprets his/her world. Behavior is not isolated, rather reflects the interactions between a child and his/her surroundings ("conflict is a performance that requires multiple actors").
6. Bronfenbrenner's academic work coupled with his commitment to enact tangible change. He is a co-founder of the Head Start movement which provides educational, health, and parental-involvement services to low-income children at early stages of their development.

Complete Reference:
Brendtro, L.K. (2006). The vision of Urie Bronfenbrenner: adults who are crazy about kids. Reclaiming Children and Youth, 15(3), 162-166.