Social behaviour disorders from the perspective of ecological systems

Abstract

This paper investigates social behaviour disorders from the Bronfenbrenner ecological systems' theory. This theory, which relates to all possible contexts which directly or indirectly influence an individual, can be viewed as a metatheory giving rise to more specific theoretical approaches. This paper rests on the assumption that social behaviour disorders do not occur isolated from what was going on, or is still under way within the overall ecological system. The comprehensiveness and complexity of the approach itself is demonstrated by the fact that central position within the ecological system is occupied by an individual (child) from which radiate concentric micro, meso, exso, macro and chrono-social structures which are strongly interdependent. The guiding principle of the paper lies along the above elements of the ecological system structure, and each of them is put into correlation with issues concerning social behaviour disorders.