Filled with examples that reflect the diversity of the world we live in, Erber's accessible, yet science-based book focuses on the psychological research and theory that add to our understanding of aging and older adulthood. Erber organizes the book around complementary 'big point-of-view' theories that focus on successful aging and successful adaptation (such as 'selective optimization with compensation') as well as on those that emphasize matching the person's competencies with demands of the environment (such as the 'ecological model'). To ensure that students acquire a big-picture understanding of the theory's application, Erber closes each chapter with a discussion of these theoretical models.