#macrosystems

Blog Entry #2: Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model

This discussion had left me thinking about just how much my surroundings have affected the kind of person I am and the person I have come to be. Of course, those within my microsystem such as my parents and friends have a huge impact on who I am as a person, the kind of values I cherish and the things I like and dislike. However, when it comes to more distant systems such as the mesosystem and the exosystem, I realize that those also have an effect on how I act and who I am. Being affected by a lot of things such as traffic and delayed flights or events have an impact on the level of patience that I develop in everyday life. Another perspective I have taken into account was the fact that I’ve been fortunate enough to be exposed a lot of different cultures throughout my childhood, as my parents and I had lived in multiple countries in the past. I’ve lived in Indonesia, South Africa, Lesotho, and visited many other countries, all of which contain their own unique macrosystems of traditions and practices. Being exposed to these different cultures, regardless of how long or brief, these accumulated experiences have all added to affect my ability to interact and accept different kinds of individuals, regardless of their background and personality.

Another thing this topic had made me realize is not just how other things affect me, but how I play along in the systems of those associated with me. The mesosystem in particular, where I’ve come to realize how often I may affect my family members, such as my nephews, when I accidentally take out my stress on them by raising my voice or accusing them of things they did on an exaggerated level. It was mind opening, and helped me acknowledge what I’ve been doing as well.