Final answer:
Paul and Margaret Baltes' selective optimization with compensation theory is a psychological concept applied in gerontology to explain how successful personal development and coping with aging are achieved throughout the life course.
Step-by-step explanation:
Paul and Margaret Baltes' ideas about selective optimization with compensation theory are often applied to the study of older adults as well. This theory suggests that successful personal development throughout the life course is achieved through the processes of selection, optimization, and compensation. This framework is particularly influential in the field of gerontology, where it aids in understanding how to balance the inevitable losses associated with aging against the gains that can also occur. The theory emphasizes that aging is an ongoing process, rather than a final outcome, and that the strategies (compensation) for managing age-related changes are unique to each individual.