Human Ecology Theory: Understanding the power of influence your environment has on your well-being

We can all serve witness to how influential our surroundings can be when it comes to the quality of our lives. What you choose to surround yourself by speaks volumes about you. Whether you want it to or not, your environment is an outward manifestation of your inner turmoil or peace. Not to get too “sciencey”, but I want you guys to have a clear understanding of the Human Ecology Theory and how it effects you daily.

First of all what is the Human Ecology Theory? In Layman’s terms it states, human development and behavioral patterns are directly influenced by their environment. Short, sweet and to the point. We have five Ecosystems that make up our personal environments. Your MICROSYSTEM consists of your family, friends, coworkers, classmates etc;. Anything personally connected to or interactive with you. That’s home life, work life, and school life. These things create your environment and influence you. Your MICROSYSTEM is the one system where you are not just a recipient of influence but you influence it as well.

Next you have your MESOSYSTEM. This part of your Ecosystem connects and affects one aspect of your life to another. For instance, having a bad day at work can directly affect your attitude toward your family. Work life can affect home life and home life can affect school life and the cycle continues.

After the MESOSYSTEM is the EXOSYSTEM. The EXOSYSTEM is all about CONTEXT. Who are the important people in your life and what happens when the dynamic of those relationships change? An example; mother, father and son have been living together for 18 years. The parent’s relationship has been hinged on the joint effort of raising their child. They are great parents but their marital relationship is strained. The child leaves and goes to college causing the CONTEXT around their relationship to change. The object of their focus has been removed so one of two things can happen. They become hyper aware of their martial discord and seek help to resolve. Or they realize their relationship has run its course and no resolution can be found and they decide to separate. CONTEXT is important to your ecosystem. When the dynamics of your environment change the CONTEXT surrounding all your decisions does as well.

The fourth system is your MACROSYSTEM. Here we are influenced by our own personal culture. Meaning, your social status, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation and the list goes on. These elements make up our culture. Regardless of whether you want them to or not. These elements influence your daily life and create your own cultural context. This in-turn dictates how we respond and relate to the world around us. Race and Gender are HUGE factors in this system and they influence our perception of our surroundings. Being born an African America Woman in the United States may mean you have to work harder and break through more barriers based on your race and gender.

Finally, is our CHRONOSYSTEM. This system shows how major life events effect our present and future decisions. The ripple effect of making a decision like going into the military effects future career, family and geographical goals. Your ecosystem will forever be changed. This system is the most impactful aside from our MICROSYSTEM. Major life events serve as paradigm shifters and more often than not change us permanently.

NOW, why is any of this of consequence to you? Simple, you are what you surround yourself by. If you’re perpetually unhappy, angry, dissatisfied, depressed, lethargic, mentally ill (regardless of degree) you need to reevaluate your environment and the relationships in it. Keep people and things around you that promote the same positive energy you exude. Guilt by association or Great by association, the choice is yours. Choose wisely.

Please do yourself a favor and go back and review the details of how each system effects you and why. The more informed you are by what surrounds you the more educational your decision of what to surround yourself with will be. Don't allow your environment to dictate your state of mind or being. Understand you are in control You determine what makes or breaks you. Every aspect your life is self inflicted and self introduced. Take control. Do some emotional and mental spring cleaning. What ever doesn't fit into your choice of peace and happiness...TOSS IT OUT!

True, there are certain things that happen to us but how you react is and how you allow it to effect your world is up to you. Think on that! Alrighty Weirdies I can't wait to hear what you guys have to say about this article. Let's talk about it. Tell me your thoughts on the Human Ecology Theory.