In this four-part review article, an update of psychological gerontology from 1988 to 1997/1998 in German speaking countries is given. Part III of this review focuses on social relationships in old age. Two perspectives are chosen for this analysis. The first perspective describes the process of actively coping with developmental tasks in social relationship - the elderly are not seen as a "passive" but as an "active" part in social relationships. Moreover, this perspective focuses on empirical relations between different patterns of social integration and the psychological situation in old age. The second perspective stresses on a special aspect of social engagement: the engagement and productivity in intergenerational relationships. Empirical data make clear that the elderly not only receive (emotional and instrumental) support, but also give a lot of support in these relationships.