Things in the child's environment that they have direct contact with (parents, siblings, teachers) 

Arizona State University

Theory that there are multiple different levels to a child's development 
- Microsystem 
- Mesosystem 
- Exosystem 
- Macrosystem 
- Chronosystem 

Brofenbrenner's Ecological System Theory 

Interactions between the child's microsystem relationships (parent-teacher conferences) 

Incorporates aspects of the environment which indirectly affect the child's microsystem (parent's job, neighborhood)

Focuses on cultural elements that can affects a child's development (ethnicity, socioeconomic class, wealth)

Includes major life changes that can affect child's development (starting school, moving to a new house) 