The social environment has a significant impact on human development. The environment in which an individual is brought up influences their way of thinking, emotions, and social interactions. Urie Bronfenbrenner, a development psychologist, classified this social environment into three primary ecosystems. The ecosystems are microsystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. The settings within each of these systems may impact human development. For instance, two of the systems described by Bronfenbrenner had a considerable influence on my development.
Microsystem
The microsystem constitutes the immediate surroundings of an individual. It is composed of groups of people who have direct contact with an individual. Some of the people found within the microsystem include peers and family members such as siblings and parents (Härkönen, 2001). These people form the immediate human relationships; hence, they significantly influence the social development of an individual. For instance, as I grew up, my older siblings and peers had a significant impact on my social interactions. Most of my siblings' friends became my friends, and they would either approve or disapprove most of my social relationships. Also, the peers that I grew up with had a considerable impact on my behavioral development. My parents and teachers had and still have a significant impact on my cognitive and language development.
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Macrosystem
The other ecosystem that had a significant impact on my development is the macrosystem. The social, cultural, and religious beliefs are the primary components of the macrosystem (Härkönen, 2001). The three aspects have a significant indirect influence on the social development of an individual. For instance, I was brought up in a cultural set-up that promotes the issue of gender roles and responsibilities. There are some duties and responsibilities that are specific to men, such as domestic repairs. Also, men are expected to protect and provide for their families. This influenced my fighting spirit both in academics and sporting activities because I felt that as a man, I should always be the best.
The expectations and demands in the macrosystem may impact the ability to meet the expectations and requirements in the microsystem. For instance, the microsystem influences the social interaction of an individual with family members (Neal & Neal, 2013). It may help to strengthen the social bond between parents and children. However, the social beliefs and culture in the macrosystem may break this bond when children learn that cultural beliefs promote individualism, independence, and self-reliance. The children may, therefore, become distanced to their parents, thus limiting their social interactions with parents.
References
Härkönen, U. (2001). The Bronfenbrenner ecological systems theory of human development.
Neal, J. W., & Neal, Z. P., (2013). Nested or networked? Future directions for ecological systems theory. Social Development, 22(4), 722-737.
