Selection, Optimization, and Compensation: An Action-Related Approach to Work and Partnership

Wiese, Bettina S.; Freund, Alexandra M.; Baltes, Paul B.

doi:10.1006/jvbe.2000.1752

Cited by 136 publications

(128 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Support for the notion of differential gender-related opportunity structures can be seen in the finding that women experience stronger conflicts between work and family than men [Frone, Russell, & Cooper, 1992;Gutek, Searle, & Klepa, 1991]. As pointed out by Wiese, Freund, and Baltes [2000], to successfully deal with being involved in both life domains in young adulthood, women might need stronger self-regulatory skills than men. Although women reported more goals in the partnership domain than men, they held just as many work-related goals as men, and compared to men, women had higher scores on self-regulatory skills (e.g., selection, optimization, compensation) in both domains.…”

Section: Comparing Life Events With Varying Degree Of Normativitymentioning

confidence: 65%

Self-Regulation of Normative and Non-Normative Developmental Challenges<sup>1</sup>

Wrosch

Freund

2001

Human Development

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The article develops the argument that successful management of normatively less expected life events and transitions requires from the individual a greater degree of self-regulatory skills than the management of normative events. It is argued that, based on recent historical change, individuals have to master both normative and non-normative developmental demands. With regard to the mastery of non-normative developmental demands, the individual may have to play a more important and active role to compensate for a lack of social structuring and normative orientation. Based on a discussion of literature from the areas of life-span psychology, life-course sociology, and self-regulation, evidence for the importance of the individual in adaptive regulation of non-normative developmental challenges is presented.

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Section: Comparing Life Events With Varying Degree Of Normativitymentioning

confidence: 65%

Self-Regulation of Normative and Non-Normative Developmental Challenges<sup>1</sup>

Wrosch

Freund

2001

Human Development

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“…A number of self-report studies spanning the entire phase of adulthood from young to very old adults provide evidence that the selection of goals, investment in the pursuit of selected goals (optimization), and compensatory efforts to maintain a goal state in the face of losses are related to various subjective indicators of successful development throughout adolescence and adulthood (e.g., Freund & Baltes, 2002;Gestsdottir & Lerner, 2007;Wiese, Freund, & Baltes, 2000). As expected, self-reported use of SOC strategies declines with age as the execution of strategies also requires resources.…”

Section: Empirical Evidence For Socmentioning

confidence: 99%

Successful Aging as Management of Resources: The Role of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation

Freund

2008

Research in Human Development

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Successful aging as management of resources: The role of selection, optimization, and compensation Successful aging as management of resources: The role of selection, optimization, and compensation AbstractOne of the central tenets of life-span psychology is that the process of development entails gains and losses that occur over the entire life span. Thus, Paul and Margret Baltes (1990) conceptualized successful aging as a lifelong process of maximizing gains and minimizing losses by means of three processes: selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC). This article reviews empirical studies that have investigated the use of SOC during adulthood with different methodological approaches and have found evidence for the importance of SOC for successfully managing one's resources. The article highlights the importance of prioritizing goals (selection) according to their importance for increasing gains (optimization) and avoiding losses (compensation) in consideration of currently available resources. Age-related changes in resource availability and time perspective can also result in a shift in goal orientation towards gains or losses and in goal focus on the process or the outcome of goal pursuit. Taken together, the action-theoretical approach to the SOC framework suggests that selection, optimization, and compensation can be seen as key concepts for understanding successful aging. Department of Psychology, University of ZurichOne of the central tenets of life-span psychology is that the process of development entails gains and losses that occur over the entire life span. Thus, Paul and Margret Baltes (1990) conceptualized successful aging as a lifelong process of maximizing gains and minimizing losses by means of three processes: selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC). This article reviews empirical studies that have investigated the use of SOC during adulthood with different methodological approaches and have found evidence for the importance of SOC for successfully managing one's resources. The article highlights the importance of prioritizing goals (selection) according to their importance for increasing gains (optimization) and avoiding losses (compensation) in consideration of currently available resources. Age-related changes in resource availability and time perspective can also result in a shift in goal orientation towards gains or losses and in goal focus on the process or the outcome of goal pursuit. Taken together, the action-theoretical approach to the SOC framework suggests that selection, optimization, and compensation can be seen as key concepts for understanding successful aging.

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“…For most young and middleaged adults, being a romantic partner is one of the most important life roles (Wiese et al, 2000). Thus, relationship satisfaction, or the evaluation of the quality of one's relationship (Norton, 1983), is likely to be highly important for most young and middle-aged adults.…”

Section: Selective Optimization With Compensation In Private Life Asmentioning

confidence: 99%

The longer your work hours, the worse your relationship? The role of selective optimization with compensation in the associations of working time with relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure in dual-career couples

et al. 2015

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This two-wave panel study investigates the associations between working time, selective optimization with compensation in private life and relationship outcomes (i.e. relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure) in dual-career couples. We propose that one partner's selective optimization with compensation in private life either mediates or moderates the association of this partner's working time and relationship outcomes (i.e. relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure). Moreover, we postulate the crossover (i.e. transmission) of relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure within the couple. To test these hypotheses, we conducted an online study with a time lag of six months, in which 285 dual-career couples took part. We found evidence for selective optimization (12) with compensation in private life as a mediator: working time spent by partners in dual-career couples was associated with selective optimization with compensation in their private life that, in turn, predicted relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure. Results did not support the assumption that one partner's selective optimization with compensation in private life moderates the association between working time and relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure. Relationship satisfaction, but not selfdisclosure, crossed over within the couples. The results challenge the assumption that longer work hours have negative consequences for romantic relationships.

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Selection, Optimization, and Compensation: An Action-Related Approach to Work and Partnership

Cited by 136 publications

References 42 publications

Self-Regulation of Normative and Non-Normative Developmental Challenges<sup>1</sup>

Self-Regulation of Normative and Non-Normative Developmental Challenges<sup>1</sup>

Successful Aging as Management of Resources: The Role of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation

The longer your work hours, the worse your relationship? The role of selective optimization with compensation in the associations of working time with relationship satisfaction and self-disclosure in dual-career couples

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