Lifespan Development: Successful Ageing

Question 1

Define: Baltes’ Selection, Optimisation and Compensation Theory

Answer 1

Describes selection, optimisation and compensation as three distinct but interrelated processes that are all vital for successful ageing

Question 2

Define: selection

Provide an example

Answer 2

Reducing the number of goals one might seek to achieve by prioritising and working towards achieving only the most important of these goals
Eg. Rubinstein would play fewer pieces of music

Question 3

Define: optimisation

Provide an example

Answer 3

How an older person seeks to get the best outcome in whatever they do by making the most of their abilities, resources and opportunities
Eg. Practising the piano more often

Question 4

Define: compensation

Provide an example

Answer 4

Making up for any losses experienced in ones abilities by developing new strategies to substitute for each of these losses
Eg. Varying the speed of his pieces to make parts seem faster.

Question 5

Define: successful ageing

Answer 5

Maximising and obtaining desired outcomes and minimising and avoiding undesired outcomes during old age