A framework that emphasizes and integrates individuals' intersubjective experienceswith Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory (PVEST) is introduced and comparedwith self-organizational perspectives. Similarities, differences and advantages of each frameworkare described. In a demonstration of PVEST's utility, a subset of data from the 3rd year ofa longitudinal study (14- to 16-year-old middle adolescent African–Americans) is used forexamining an achievement variable: negative learning attitude. Explored separately by gender, aregression model that contained risk, stress, and a reactive coping variable for the prediction ofnegative learning attitudes was investigated. For boys, stress was an independent stressor acrosssteps independent of the other variables entered; social support was particularly important formales. For girls, not only was stress not important but it was also only the social support variable,perceived unpopularity with peers, that was a significant predictor of girls' negativelearning attitude. Particularly for boys, the findings suggest critically important roles for teachersand peers in the negative learning attitude of midadolescent economically disadvantagedAfrican–American students.