Child Development and The Ecological Theory

An intermediate system surrounding a microsystem represents a relationship occurring between two or more settings including a developing child. An example is the interaction between caregiver and school, school and day care. Mesosystem is the environment or system of microsystems (1994). External systems are primarily indirect, but sometimes directly impacting the impact of community expansion on children. These include law enforcement agencies, social services, religious communities, and the caregiver's workplace environment.

Human development ecosystem theory was proposed by Russian-American psychologist Urie Brofenbrenner. In this theory he said that everything in the child and the environment has an impact on child development (Oswalt, 2008). He also developed this theory to understand the relationship between children, family, teachers, and society (Growth and Development Theory, 2013). This ecological theory can be divided into several different levels: microsystem, intermediate system, external system, macro system, and time system. The first level is microsystem, which is a small direct environment directly related to children (Sincero, 2012). For example, children have the most intimate relationship with their parents and their families, and may also affect children's mental or physical development. The relationship between children and teachers, friends, neighbors is also considered to be in the microsystem.

American psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner has developed an ecosystem theory to explain how the child's unique nature and its environment interact to influence his growth and development. Through Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, Bronfenbrenner emphasizes the importance of studying children in various environments, also known as ecosystems, to understand their development. Children often find themselves in different ecosystems, shifting from the nearest family ecosystem to the wider school system, and the most extensive social and cultural system. Each of these systems inevitably influences and interacts in every aspect of the child's life.