theory which argues that the declines experienced at this time are not simple or absolute losses. Or, rather, they need not be. Baltes argues that life is a series of adaptations and that the selection of fewer goals, optimizing our personal and social resources to attain them, and then compensating for any loss with the experience of a lifetime, should ameliorate those losses. They do not completely negate them but a positive attitude of engagement can, and does, lead to successful ageing
selection, optimization, compensation (SOC) theory
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