Ecological Map and Data Comparison By Carla Andrews

Avatar Description David Smith is a 14 year old male adolescent, a member of generation y. His cultural background is Italian and Greek. He is apart of a 1-parent family, living with his mum and his sister, Amy (age 13). His mum is the sole financial support of the family, working full-time at a cafe. They live in an inner-west townhouse in Sydney. David attends a co-ed public school and has a close group of friends. He works part-time after-school hours at McDonalds. David plays soccer for his local club and also enjoys listening to rap music. He attends his local Catholic parish church mass every Sunday with his family and is apart of the Youth group organised by the parish.

David’s characteristics/traits compared with Australian Data David’s characteristics/traitsAustralian Data Part of a 1-Parent family22% out of all families in Australia are 1-Parent families (ABS) Full-time high school student, part-time worker at McDonalds Of all teenagers at school, 36% work part-time (ABS) Attends mass at Catholic church weekly Within ‘Generation Y’, 12% of adolescents attend Catholic church (ACYS) Lives in Sydney, major city68.4% of Australians live in major city areas (ABS) Attends a public government school 67.1% of enrolments at high schools are at government institutions (ABS) Plays soccer for his local club59% of young people participate in sports organised by schools, clubs or associations. (ABS)

Microsystem The microsystem is described by Bronfenbrenner as “the complex interrelations within the immediate setting” of the person. It details the activities, roles, direct interactions and experiences that influence the person, stemming from the environment they are immersed in. David’s microsystem involves his relationships with his mother and his sister as apart of his immediate family. His mother is highly influential in his experiences, for as a parent she provides the basis of his moral, social and ethical framework, with the absence of a father figure. His friends at school especially his best friend Mark are also apart of his microsystem, since a great proportion of his experiences and time as an adolescent occurs in the school environment.

Macrosystem Exosystem Mesosystem Micro system David Smith Mum Sister Amy Best Friend Mark

Mesosystem Bronfenbrenner described the mesosystem as ‘a system of microsystems’, connecting and extending between settings that the person actively interacts and moves through. David’s mesosystem involves the relationships and interconnecting supportive and opposing attitudes and ideas that link different settings within his immediate situation. This includes his family life having an effect on is work at school and at workplace and vice versa. For example his mother encourages David to study at home so his success at school exceeds, conflicting with pressure from his friends to hang out after school wasting valuable study time. David’s mesosystem also involves his participation in community sport and church group, which compliments David’s development, but in some ways conflicts with other settings, demonstrated in the way in which David often finds it difficult to fit in time for school, work and social life along with his involvement in these two groups.

Macrosystem Exosystem Mesosystem School Work Microsystem Sport Involvement Church Group

Exosystem The exosystem is described by Bronfenbrenner as the ‘settings that do not directly involve the developing person as an active participant’, although the activities and decisions made in these settings affect the developing person. In David’s situation, his mother is the sole financial support for the family working full-time at a cafe. Her work conditions such as her wage rates, holidays and the extend of her hours, all influence David’s development as a feature of his exosystem. Features of his mother’s job dictates the factors such as the family’s financial situation, the ability for family time, and David’s opportunity to converse with his mother. His location apart of the inner-west Sydney community and the ongoings of his school’s administrative board also influence David’s development as features of his exosystem.

Macrosystem Exosystem Mesosytem Microsystem Mum’s job Inner-west Community School Board

Macrosystem The macrosystem is the expansive societal influence that dominates the values, processes, belief systems and ideology within a culture. Features of a macrosystem such as Australian national culture, laws and regulations within society and the media are highly influential on David’ development. Religion also has an extensive impact on David as he is involved in local activities that preach beliefs accepted by many people globally, in which play a significant role in moulding a persons moral and ethical character.

Macrosystem Exosystem Mesosystem Microsystem Australian Culture Laws and regulations Religion Media

Macrosystem Exosystem Mesosystem Microsystem David Smith Mum Sister Amy Best Friend Mark Church group School WorkSport Involvement School Board Inner-west Community Mum’s Job Australian Culture Laws and Regulations Media Religion