In ecological systems theory, which example illustrates the exosystem?

• A. Workplace of a parent
• B. Neighborhood park
• C. Parent's thoughts
• D. Cultural norms

Answer: (A)

The exosystem consists of external settings that influence the child indirectly through their effects on the child’s immediate environments. The workplace of a parent fits this, because a parent’s job can shape resources, stress, and time availability, which in turn affect parenting and the child’s development even though the child doesn’t directly participate in the workplace. The neighborhood park would be part of the child’s microsystem, the direct settings the child experiences. The parent’s thoughts are internal processes, not an environmental system, and cultural norms belong to the macrosystem, the broader cultural context. So the workplace of a parent is the best example of the exosystem.