HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

The Bioecological Model of Human Development

The Bioecological Model of Human Development

Introduction

For this paper, we shall be discussing the 'Bioecological Model of Human Development' in great detail, which shall help us understand the development patterns of children also highlight the most effective and efficient patterns of discussion for individuals accordingly. Bronfenbrenner's model centers on the idea that individuals' experiences cannot be understood unless the settings that meaningfully influence their lives are also examined. This model states that human development is a function of psychological and biological traits and the environment. Bronfenbrenner further suggested that individuals actively construct their contexts and their relationships with their environments are dynamic (American Psychological Association, 2007).

Bioecological Model of Human Development

The model itself basis and founds upon four major portions of child development. These areas significantly impact the development of a child and enable for either developing or deteriorating in several circumstances. These are microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem and chronosystem. At the center, of Bronfenbrenner's model is the developing individual, including biological and psychological traits. The next level, the microsystem, involves contextual factors directly involving the individual (Atkinson, 1983). Studies that examine individual students' relationships with their educators are examining a microsystemic factor. The mesosystem consists of relationships between two or more microsystemic factors occurring in the environment. This could include a graduate program's relationship with a university or a university's relationship with its community (Bernal, 1980).

Factors that affect the individual indirectly are defined like as being in the exosystem. A study examining how reductions in resources impact faculty members' mentoring relationships with graduate students would be examining an exosystemic factor. The macrosystem consists of larger overarching influences or relationships such as values or laws. Research conducted at the macrosystemic level could involve a large-scale, national assessment of faculty's attitudes about graduate students of color (Bernal, Barron and Leary, 1983). Finally, Bronfrenbrenner's Bioecological model includes the chronosystemic level, which includes factors related to the passage of time. Research conducted at the chronosystemic level could involve analysis of how Supreme Court decisions affect graduate admissions policies and the characteristics of incoming student populations over an extended period of time (Brazziel & Brazziel, 2001).

Child Development on an academic level

For the understanding of this paper, we shall be discussing the impacts of color on the mental development of the child. Although researchers propose numerous strategies to diversify graduate programs, students of color remain underrepresented in the United States, particularly at the doctoral level. For instance, of the 63,712 students who attained doctoral degrees in all fields between 2007 and 2008, 6% were African American/non-Latino/a, 6% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 4% were Latino/a, 0.4% were American Indian, and 27% were non-U.S. residents (Brazziel & Brazziel, 2001). However, recent assessments of the race/ethnicity of U.S. residents shows that 13% are African American/non-Latino/a, 5% are Asian/Pacific Islander, 15% are Latino/a, 1% are American Indian, and 2% fall into two or more racial/ethnic categories. Previous research has documented a disparity in the graduate degree attainment for students of color (Bronfenbrenner, ...