Theory

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

According to socioemotional selectivity theory (Carstensen, 1992), as individuals age, their social networks tend to shrink. This reduction in the number of social partners is not viewed as a loss, but rather a strategic shift toward prioritizing high-quality, emotionally close relationships. Consequently, while the quantity of friendships may decrease, the closeness of the remaining connections is maintained or even enhanced.

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Updated 2025-09-29

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