Brnofenbreener's Model
Human development follows unique developmental trajectories to which each child adapts differently to adversities. To understand these trajectories, a multidimensional approach to understanding human development should be undertaken. Human development is two dimensional; inner and outer worlds. The inner world consists of biological, psychological and spiritual experiences which either influence or are influenced by the outer world factors such as interpersonal, social, structural and cultural aspects. (Insert Ref 2 3-4)
The study of complex interrelationships between human beings and their social environments is referred to as human ecology. Bronfenbrenner was a noted psychologist who came up with a human ecology model to examine the effects of various socio-economic factors that influence a child’s development. Bronfenbrenner postulated that human development followed a model akin to “nested arrangements of concentric structures each contained within the next (Cited in Thies & Travers 2009 21). These concentric circles represent a contextual level in which a child develops. The levels do not operate in isolation as there are reciprocal interactions whereby the children are products of their environments and vice versa. This model has recently been renamed the bioecological systems theory to emphasize the child’s biological makeup is the primary environment influencing his/her development (Thies & Travers 2009 21).
The bioecological model has four main interrelated components: (Lerner 2002 238)
• The developmental process
• The person
• Human development context
• Time
These four components make the bioecological model to constitute a process-person-context-time (PPCT) model that offers a more integrated approach to human development understanding (Lerner 2002 238). This model constituting of genetics-environment interactions leads to “proximal processes through which genetic potentials for effective psychological functioning are actualized”
The study of complex interrelationships between human beings and their social environments is referred to as human ecology. Bronfenbrenner was a noted psychologist who came up with a human ecology model to examine the effects of various socio-economic factors that influence a child’s development. Bronfenbrenner postulated that human development followed a model akin to “nested arrangements of concentric structures each contained within the next (Cited in Thies & Travers 2009 21). These concentric circles represent a contextual level in which a child develops. The levels do not operate in isolation as there are reciprocal interactions whereby the children are products of their environments and vice versa. This model has recently been renamed the bioecological systems theory to emphasize the child’s biological makeup is the primary environment influencing his/her development (Thies & Travers 2009 21).
The bioecological model has four main interrelated components: (Lerner 2002 238)
• The developmental process
• The person
• Human development context
• Time
These four components make the bioecological model to constitute a process-person-context-time (PPCT) model that offers a more integrated approach to human development understanding (Lerner 2002 238). This model constituting of genetics-environment interactions leads to “proximal processes through which genetic potentials for effective psychological functioning are actualized”