Final answer:
Friendships in late adulthood tend to remain stable in number and quality, reflecting older individuals' choices to prioritize meaningful connections and maintain social consistency as proposed by the socioemotional selectivity and continuity theories. option C is correct
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Antonucci, Lansford, and Akiyama (2001), friendships in late adulthood do not decrease in number and quality. Instead, socioemotional selectivity theory suggests that while the number of social connections may dwindle in late adulthood, the emotional closeness of these relationships remains stable or can even increase.
This viewpoint is based on the idea that as people age, they tend to prioritize more meaningful relationships over acquiring new friendships. Exchange theory posits that as individuals become less able to exchange resources, their social circles might diminish unless they engage in resource management to remain valued within their social networks.
The continuity theory offers a different perspective by emphasizing that the elderly make conscious choices to maintain consistency in relationships, actively preserving their social connections in late adulthood. As a result, the question's answer is that friendships in late adulthood remain stable in number and quality, aligning with option C is correct