Final answer:
Selection, Optimisation and Compensation Theory is a theory of successful aging, positing that individuals adapt their goals through processes of selection, optimization, and compensation to balance the losses and gains associated with aging. Developed by Baltes and Baltes, it is rooted in the symbolic interaction perspective and is closely associated with gerontology and personal development throughout the life course.
Step-by-step explanation:
Selection, Optimisation and Compensation Theory is a concept within the symbolic interaction perspective, particularly relevant in the field of gerontology. Developed by Baltes and Baltes in 1990, it is based on the premise that successful personal development and the mastery of challenges associated with everyday life throughout an individual's life course are underpinned by the processes of selection, optimization, and compensation. This theory is especially applied to the study of successful aging, where it is utilized to understand how individuals balance the losses associated with aging with the gains stemming from the same. As one ages, energy resources diminish, leading to the selective investment in personal goals that maximize returns on the effort invested (optimization), thereby compensating for losses in other areas.
Cognitive psychology, while it focuses on human thinking among other areas, doesn't directly relate to this theory, which is more concerned with the psychological and sociological aspects of development in the context of aging. Likewise, while socialization plays a crucial role in the development of individuals, including a broader understanding of societal norms and values, it is distinct from the process described by the Selection, Optimisation and Compensation Theory.
In terms of lifespan development, the theory fits within the broader discourse that views development as a lifelong process, studied across multiple domains by developmental psychologists, including physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects. Selection, Optimisation and Compensation is a theory integral to understanding the lifespan development, especially in the elderly population, analyzing how individuals adapt their goals and actions in the face of aging-related changes and constraints.