Bronfenbrenner’s structure of environment:
The microsystem – this is the layer closest to the child and contains the structures with which the child has direct
contact. The microsystem encompasses the relationships and interactions a child has with her immediate
surroundings (Berk, 2000). Structures in the microsystem include family, school, neighborhood, or childcare
environments. At this level, relationships have impact in two directions - both away from the child and toward the
child. For example, a child’s parents may affect his beliefs and behavior; however, the child also affects the behavior
and beliefs of the parent. Bronfenbrenner calls these bi-directional influences, and he shows how they occur among all
levels of environment. The interaction of structures within a layer and interactions of structures between layers is key
to this theory. At the microsystem level, bi-directional influences are strongest and have the greatest impact on the
child. However, interactions at outer levels can still impact the inner structures.