III. Social relationships

In this four-part review article, an update of psychological gerontology fr om 1988 to 1997/1998 in German speaking countries is given. Part III of thi s review focuses on social relationships in old age. Two perspectives are c hosen for this analysis. The first perspective describes the process of act ively coping with developmental tasks in social relationships - the elderly are not seen as a "passive" but as an "active" part in social relationship s. Moreover, this perspective focuses on empirical relations between differ ent patterns of social integration and the psychological situation in old a ge. The second perspective stresses on a special aspect of social engagemen t: the engagement and productivity in intergenerational relationships. Empi rical data make clear that the elderly not only receive (emotional and inst rumental) support, but also give a lot of support in these relationships.