Paul Baltes
Encyclopedia
Paul B. Baltes was a German
psychologist
whose broad scientific agenda was devoted to establishing and promoting the life-span orientation of human development. He was also a theorist in the field of the psychology of aging. He has been described by American Psychologist as one of the most influential developmental psychologists.
, he is credited with developing the selective optimization with compensation theory, theories about lifespan and wisdom, and theories about successful aging and developing. He coined the term "successful aging." It later lost favor to "optimal aging." Much of his career was spent at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development
in Berlin, where he founded the Berlin Wisdom Project and became a leader in the scientific study of wisdom
. Baltes later became the director of the Max Planck International Research Network on Aging.
He was a founding member of the European Academy of Sciences, a member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, and a member and vice-president of the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina. Paul Baltes also became a member of the Order Pour le me´rite for scientists and artists and a foreign member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
He died at home in Berlin
of pancreatic cancer
.
in 1991.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
whose broad scientific agenda was devoted to establishing and promoting the life-span orientation of human development. He was also a theorist in the field of the psychology of aging. He has been described by American Psychologist as one of the most influential developmental psychologists.
Biography
Born in SaarlouisSaarlouis
Saarlouis is a city in the Saarland, Germany, capital of the district of Saarlouis. In 2006, the town had a population of 38,327. Saarlouis, as the name implies, is located at the river Saar....
, he is credited with developing the selective optimization with compensation theory, theories about lifespan and wisdom, and theories about successful aging and developing. He coined the term "successful aging." It later lost favor to "optimal aging." Much of his career was spent at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development
Max Planck Institute for Human Development
The Max Planck Institute for Human Development is located in Berlin, Germany. It was founded in 1963 and is one of 80 institutes in the Max Planck Society ....
in Berlin, where he founded the Berlin Wisdom Project and became a leader in the scientific study of wisdom
Wisdom
Wisdom is a deep understanding and realization of people, things, events or situations, resulting in the ability to apply perceptions, judgements and actions in keeping with this understanding. It often requires control of one's emotional reactions so that universal principles, reason and...
. Baltes later became the director of the Max Planck International Research Network on Aging.
He was a founding member of the European Academy of Sciences, a member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, and a member and vice-president of the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina. Paul Baltes also became a member of the Order Pour le me´rite for scientists and artists and a foreign member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
He died at home in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
of pancreatic cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
Awards
Baltes received the American Psychological Association's Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology and the Novartis Prize for Gerontological Research awarded by the International Association of Gerontology. He also started the Margret M. and Paul B. Baltes Foundation which aims to advance research in developmental psychology and gerontology. He was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1991.
Publications
- Paul Baltes, Karl Ulrich Mayer (Eds.): The Berlin aging study : aging from 70 to 100 ; a research project of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences Cambridge University Press 1999, ISBN 0-521-62134-8
- Baltes, P. B., Freund, A. M., & Li, S. (2005). The psychological science of human aging. In M. L. Johnson (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of age and aging (pp. 47-71). New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Baltes, P. B., & Smith, J. (2003). New frontiers in the future of aging: From successful aging of the young old to the dilemmas of the fourth age. Gerontology, 49, 123-135.
External links
- http://www.baltes-paul.de/
- http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Baltes.htm
- http://uanews.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UAMasterCalendar.woa/3/wa/viewDetails?EventID=18202
- http://www.science-spirit.org/article_detail.php?article_id=129
- http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a793335796~db=all~jumptype=rss
- http://www.margret-baltes-stiftung.de/launch/index.php?id=The Foundation