Major Contributions, Awards, and Honors
Baltes is best known for his book called "Successful Aging". Before his discoveries about aging, only the negatives of aging were focused on but Baltes shed light on "postive development" (http://www.margret-und-paul-baltes-stiftung.de/Englishwebsite/contributionscienceenglish.htm?id=The%20Foundation&subid=Their%20Contribution%20to%20Science). With his research on cognitive development, Baltes showed the possibilities for further development in adult and old age. One of the only positive factors of old age that existed prior to Baltes' research was wisdom. He chose to expand this stereotypical factor that is associated with old age. He established a new survey model. The results led to relativize the link between wisdom and age However, people do not automatically become wise when they age but such development is a rarely traveled path. Paul Baltes also undertook research on reasons for functional losses. He found evidence that listening, watching and walking demand more cognitive resources with increasing age.
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. (http://www.margret-und-paul-baltes-stiftung.de)
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. (http://www.margret-und-paul-baltes-stiftung.de)
Contextualism
Baltes introduced Contextualism as a Paradigm of science through his work. Throughout his years as a life-span developmental psychologist, he believed that both biological and environmental factors work together to effect human development. He wrote that over a lifetime, all of these factors come together and are held responsible for the development of human life.
Applications of Life-Span Psychology
Baltes' also created he idea of Positive Youth Development. As his Contexualism as a Paradigm can be applied to any age ranges, it is particularly effective in the study of adolescents. PYD is his idea that every youth has the ability to become productive members of society. As long as adolescents are guided and their physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual development is promoted, they will be successful in becoming contributing members of society. (http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/9397_008824ch1.pdf)
A well-known real-life example of Baltes' theory is The Big Brother/Big Sister Foundation which was started in 1904 well before Baltes' was even born. It is a youth development program that works by helping a child to form a close relationship with a healthy adult, usually a well doing member of society. It was found that these youths, that may have been formerly troubled improved in many areas such as school attendance, parental relationships and academic performance. Baltes' studies in life-span psychology merely prove why foundations such as this one are successful.
A well-known real-life example of Baltes' theory is The Big Brother/Big Sister Foundation which was started in 1904 well before Baltes' was even born. It is a youth development program that works by helping a child to form a close relationship with a healthy adult, usually a well doing member of society. It was found that these youths, that may have been formerly troubled improved in many areas such as school attendance, parental relationships and academic performance. Baltes' studies in life-span psychology merely prove why foundations such as this one are successful.