~Bronfenbrenner's Model Flashcards
What is a theory?
Theories in any science are something we use as an organizational framework to understand the avalanche of data that researchers collect on a topic.
What is a theory in Developmental Psych?
Theories in developmental psychology are an organized set of concepts and propositions that helps us organize, describe, and explain observations about development. Theories propose mechanisms behind children’s development.
What did Piaget’s theory of children’s development test?
Their ability to perform on a task, and how that lined up with others their age
What did Piaget’s theory of children’s development describe?
He described their cognitive performance at different points in development.
Good theories help us predict ___
Future Observations
Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model takes a ___ view of development than most
Wider
What was Bronfenbrenners theory?
That children’s development happens through their interactions with these connected and interacting systems. The child has their own skills, characteristics and strengths that they bring to the world around them, and their development is a function of both that, and the different contexts in which they grow up.
Why are children an important part of their own development?
Their characteristics affect their abilities and what they’re able to accomplish in a given task, their characteristics also affect the world around them.
What are Bronfenbrenner’s 3 categories of children’s individual characteristics?
Demand Characteristics, Resource Characteristics, and Force Characteristics
What are Demand Characteristics?
Child characteristics that they don’t have direct control over (in most cases), that still influence how others engage with them, for better or for worse. (e.g, age, race, gender)
What are Resource Characteristics?
Mental/emotions resources (past experience); intelligence/skills, and various material resources, like access to housing, and education
What are Force Characteristics?
Motivational, cognitive, social, personality/temperament/persist in the face of challenges. Affects how others engage with them as well
What is the Microsystem?
Represents the child’s immediate surroundings that the child is a part of day-to-day. Contexts in which they are an active member
What are examples of a Microsystem?
- The child’s family life is an example of a microsystem; How they interact with their parents and siblings
- School; Child can have a different role in a school setting than at home
What is the Mesosystem?
These are ways the Microsystems interact with each other that can influence the child’s experience and developmental trajectory. Connections between the child’s Microsystems. Ways in which members of the child’s daily life interact..
