<p>This quantitative study examines the correlations between humor, loneliness, gender and aging by presenting the results from a sample of eighty-three older Romanian adults, aged sixty and above. The first section of the paper is a comprehensive review of the social-psychological literature on aging, gender and humor. The second section assesses the findings generated from a study that uses the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (Thorson &amp; Powell, 1993) and the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults – short version, (diTomaso, Brannen &amp; Best, 2004). Building on Robert Weiss’s (1973) reflections on the differences between feelings of loneliness because of social isolation or emotional isolation, the research findings nuance –and in some cases challenge several assumptions on gender, age, and emotional and social loneliness. The findings also point to the correlation between feelings of social loneliness and the use of humor in interpersonal communications. The data collected suggests that while Romanian men may value the use of humor more than women when self-reporting, that older Romanian women tend to use humor in interpersonal situations and that there is a significant correlation between the use of this type of humor and a reduced sense of social loneliness.</p>

In the current paper we use semi-structured interviews (N = 12) to reveal instances which trigger age-based stereotype threat and subsequent computer anxiety for older individuals, and potential impact on their technological self-efficacy. The results show that situation-specific anxiety arises in situations when older people were faced with children or younger adults who presented higher ICT skills. We argue that when the situation is "powerful enough" to increase older people's awareness of the negative stereotypes associated to their group in relation to technology, this would increase computer anxiety and could have a negative influence on technology appropriation and performance.

The current study explores (Locke, 1996). Therefore, we argue that, for the retail and service sector, it is important to understand the different approach towards humor by the different age and gender groups discussed in this study.

This report discusses descriptive results of the Computer Assisted Telephone based Survey (CATI) conducted in Romania in December 2016. The present survey is part of the international project Cross-National Longitudinal Study: Older Audiences in the Digital Media Environment (see www.actproject.ca/), and it is planned to be conducted every two years, in three waves, on the same sample of older adults. The sample is representative for the online population of people 60 years old and above living in Romania. The results show that TV is the most important media channel for this age group, followed by radio. Also, we can talk about a specialization of media consume at older people, with Television and television set playing a central role, followed by radio (and radio set), whereas newspapers and magazines are accessed both online and offline. One important incentive for older people to go online and try different mediated communication options is to share their life routine with family and friends. While the Internet becomes a communication medium used all over the paces, older people preferred using it in their own private homes. The report also indicates the important role of mediated communication in interpersonal communication mechanisms in the case of older people.

The topic of interpersonal communication has recently gained increasing acknowledgement as a separate field of study in the broader family of communication studies, in a change of perspective that now takes our daily one-on-one interactions into account as the relevant, micro-scale acts that represent the foundation of all larger-scale communication -be it corporate, mass media, or online social media.Despite numerous handbooks, encyclopaedias and essential volumes on the topic which became available on the market throughout the years, one book stands apart, and has now reached its 13 th edition and continues to inspire and inform young academics in universities worldwide. Joseph A. Devito's "The Interpersonal Communication Book" is a well-structured and fundamental book on interpersonal communication, which covers topics as broad as relationships, conflict and communication ethics, and proves the key point that interpersonal communication is many-faceted, depending on dimensions such as individual apprehension, assertiveness or adequacy. We cannot speak of a general thesis that the book defends, but rather of separate conclusions for each unit, ranging from the idea that self-disclosure in a relationship at its early stages is perceived as riskier by women, as compared to men (in the part dedicated to the self in communication), to newly found support for the theory that all verbal and nonverbal communication is intentional and a matter of choice.This updated book appears to be a truly complete view of the literature and research in the field of interpersonal communication. At the same time it is a very practical compendium, as it openly offers suggestions for effective communication when considering ethics, diversity and power in interpersonal communication, as well as differentiating between face-to-face and mediated (computer-mediated) interaction.Thus, most noteworthy, the 13 th edition of the book is brought up to date and adjusted to strongly highlight the concept of choice in communication. Devito clearly stresses how to adapt our skills in order to make better choices in communication, irrespective of the context (personal, social, professional) and, at the same time, directs readers towards bettering their social interactions through a rich palette of interpersonal skills. There is also an updated focus on culture and interpersonal communication, with aspects of cultural diversity integrated in all major units of the book.The author successfully and diligently walks the readers through the specifics of interpersonal communication, and demonstrates that it is a process through which individuals define themselves and their interaction partners, through ever-changing and periodically redefined