Theories Of Perspective Taking By Bronfenbrenner

Urie Bronfenbrenner created the ecological systems theory of child development. This theory suggests that we encounter different environmental systems, which shape (influences) us. These systems are known as the microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, the macro system, and the chronosystem.
According to the Woolfolk text, social development is influenced by relationships in the micro system, people we have direct social interaction with. Family, friends, classmates, teachers, neighbors and other people who we have a direct contact with are included in the microsystem. Your parent’s parenting style, whether you have a blended or extended family, what group/clique you are part of have all influenced your development.
Our development is

also influenced by whether or not we met Erik Erikson’s 8 stages of psychosocial development. Someone at my father’s age would be at the generativity vs. stagnation stage. During middle adulthood, people need to begin their own families and develop a sense of being a part of the bigger picture. This is often done by having children, but it can also be through making a mark on the world. Creating things that will outlast them, and giving back to society. By failing to achieve these objectives, people become stagnant and feel unproductive.
Development can also be influenced by how you see yourself. Your self-image, self-esteem, and self-efficacy all play a role. Someone who isn’t happy with their body, doesn’t really value themselves, and gives up quickly will develop differently than someone who is the opposite in those areas.

Social: He is somewhat close to his family (the one in which he was raised in). They don’t see each other often, and do not communicate frequently, but he gets phone calls and letters during special occasions, like Christmas and Birthdays.
Identity: His heroes are Jesus and Abraham Lincoln. The latter is because Abraham Lincoln went through many difficult trials, but persevered. When I asked him what he thinks of himself, he awkwardly chuckled and responded “I’d say I’m a pretty swell guy.”
Self-Concept: He describes himself as analytical, and he hates to fall behind in class. He has a positive view of himself. He said there were many times in which he felt a task was very difficult, but he does not give up.
Francis Dupuis is currently in Erickson’s “Generativity vs. Stagnation” stage, and I believe that he has passed successfully through this stage. He has volunteered and made contributions to society, and he has two children.
I believe that Dupuis’ development falls within the expected range. He has a strong sense of self, and he has met and passed through Erik Erikson’s various stages of psychosocial development.

A teaching strategy that could help Francis Dupuis’ to become more social would be practising spontaneous speaking.
Video: Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
In this video, Matt Abrahams, a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, talks about different strategies for improving spontaneous speaking. He suggests not “stockpiling or planning,” what you are going to say, which everyone does. Rather, just speak in the moment. See the conversation as an opportunity, not a challenge. Stockpiling information can cause someone to trip up if the conversation does not go as one expects it to, so instead just listen and speak what comes to your mind. In the video, he uses a lot of improvisation techniques with his audience, and plays several games, one of them being tongue twisters, which he uses to get people to focus, relieve anxiety, and get themselves in the moment.
When someone is an adult, they should have developed theory of mind, and a sophisticated perspective-taking ability.

Theory of mind is when one becomes capable of taking into consideration others' wants, needs, knowledge and mental states. What they may be thinking, how they may be feeling, what they may do next. Theory of Mind is a necessary component of perspective-taking. Perspective-taking refers to our ability to relate to others. It is our ability to perceive someone else’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations. In other words, it refers to our ability to empathize with someone else and see things from their perspective.
Adults should have also developed a sense of right and wrong, a sense of moral reasoning. Moral reasoning is when one uses their personal judgment to determine what is right and what is wrong in a situation. It is influenced by the values and beliefs of their family and friends, and their own experiences. These rights and wrongs are also often defined by social conventions, what is perceived as right and wrong in the culture in which one lives. Social conventions are rules and expectations that one must conform to if they are to be participants in the

culture.
A man named Lawrence Kohlberg developed a model that he thought could explain how people develop morality. There are three stages, each one containing two phases.The stages are preconventional morality, conventional morality, and postconventional morality. Adults should be at the postconventional morality stage. At this stage, individuals have developed their own personal set of ethics and morals that they use to govern their behavior. Their ethics and morals often agree with social conventions, but there can be conflicts between what is socially acceptable and what the individual believes is right.

Francis Dupuis has done things in his life that he feels guilty about.

For example, just yesterday, (as I am writing this) my mother had to go to the hospital when she had a severe acid reflux reaction and could not breathe. My father spent time bemoaning about the traffic jam when we finally arrived. He complained about the traffic while my mother was sitting in the hospital. He later apologized, and gave me that as an example when I asked him for something that he has done to feel guilty about. By the way, my mother is fine.
I gave Dupuis the Heinz Dilemma. He did not feel that what Heinz did was right, but he admitted that if he were in the same situation, he would have done the same.
I also gave him an emotional intelligence test and he got 80% of them right. This showed me that he has developed his theory of mind.
Francis Dupuis has a developed sense of morals, he knows what is considered right and wrong in society, but he would also sometimes commit what society considers a wrong if he believes it is right, and evidenced when I gave him the Heinz Dilemma. Furthermore, he has done things that he feels guilty about, and has apologized for them. This places him at the appropriate postconventional

stage.

A teaching strategy that could help Francis Dupuis develop his perspective-taking is roleplaying.
Video: Get Into Character: Develop Empathy Through Drama
In this video, a drama teacher has students explore how it feels to be mistreated as an elder. In the video, a drama teacher had the students role-play as elders and the situation was that they were being removed from their building so a large corporation could take the land. The spokesperson for the corporation didn’t listen to the concerns of the elders, and treated them pettily. After the role-play, the students were asked how they felt, and most of them had an emotional response of some kind. This role-play helped the students to feel more empathy for other people, in this case, elders.
It would not have to be this particular scenario for Dupuis, but roleplaying in general, or even just putting himself in someone else’s shoes.