Translating ecology: Similarities and differences in the ecological images of Bronfenbrenner and Kelly.

Abstract

Over time, varied ecological perspectives have evolved in the social and behavioral sciences to provide explanatory models for behavior in social, cultural, and historical context. The purpose of the present paper is to compare and contrast two such perspectives and their implications for translational science. The perspectives are the ecology of human development from developmental psychology (Bronfenbrenner) and the ecological metaphor from community psychology (Kelly and colleagues). Comparison of the two ecological perspectives highlight both similarities, such as an emphasis on systems theory, and differences in such fundamental areas as goals and philosophy of sciences. Implications for translational science include questions raised by ecological perspectives about potential factors affecting the generalizability of findings and the importance of creating feedback loops in translational research designs.What is the significance of this article for the general public?Ecological thinking is important to translational science because of the complexity and intractability of many real-world, social issues. This paper contrasts and clarifies two ecological perspectives employed heavily by psychology and public health researchers, chosen for the ubiquity of their use and the value in the contrast between them. Our analysis brings forward important nuances in these perspectives and provides researchers with guidance on applying ecological thinking to translational science.

A cultural-ecosocial systems view for psychiatry

“…Krieger's (65,66) ecosocial epidemiology uses the construct of embodiment to emphasize the biological effects of structural inequities (i.e., how adversity gets "under the skin") but also does not clarify psychological processes. Bronfenbrenner's (67)(68), bioecological psychology emphasizes the dependence of developmental processes on environmental context but its application has not always considered the interaction of the multiple levels of social organization in which individuals and families are embedded (69). Ecocultural approaches grounded in ethnographic methods have provided ways to characterize the culturally constructed meanings and practices that constitute lifeworlds and developmental pathways (70).…”

A new wave of context: Introduction to the special issue on socioecological approaches to psychology.

“…One article selected for this special issue provides audiences with an overarching view of SE theories that have been traditionally employed for community contexts. Specifically, Scarpa and Trickett (2022) compare and contrast perspectives of EST from developmental psychology and the ecologically-informed from community psychology. EST perspectives push for ecologically informed interventions that account for factors at each system level that influence individual behavior, beliefs, and overall development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).…”

“…EST perspectives push for ecologically informed interventions that account for factors at each system level that influence individual behavior, beliefs, and overall development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). However, Scarpa and Trickett (2022) argue that EST underrepresents community interventions relevant to translational science. By contrast, the ecological metaphor expands SE perspectives to localized contexts in community, driving interventions that emphasize building capacity and resources to address social problems (Kelly, 1968).…”

“…By contrast, the ecological metaphor expands SE perspectives to localized contexts in community, driving interventions that emphasize building capacity and resources to address social problems (Kelly, 1968). Scarpa and Trickett (2022) further discuss the implications for translational science, including concerns about generalizability, underlying multilevel analysis and interdependence of contexts, and participatory feedback to emphasize collaboration.…”

“…Our goal for this special issue is to introduce SE approaches, highlight their applicability in various domains, and showcase methodologies that enhance ecological validity, facilitate translation, and promote equitable outcomes. We begin with an article that introduces two explanatory models—orienting the audience to EST and the ecological metaphor from community psychology (Scarpa & Trickett, 2022). Then, we present conceptual articles that apply ecological theory to program development across diverse settings and domains, including communication and psycholinguistics in health care (Hernández-Rivera et al, 2022), training systems for clinical supervision (Terepka et al, 2022), wise interventions in higher education (i.e., theory-based strategies that work alongside existing curriculum to help students navigate their social world; Laiduc & Covarrubias, 2022), and treatment paradigms in the juvenile justice system (Snyder & Duchschere, 2022).…”