ON THE NUMBER OF RECORDS NEAR THE MAXIMUM

Recent work has considered properties of the number of observations X_j, independently drawn from a discrete law, which equal the sample maximum X_(n) The natural analogue for continuous laws is the number K_n(a) of observations in the interval (X_(n)–a, X_(n)], where a > 0. This paper derives general expressions for the law, first moment, and probability generating function of K_n(a), mentioning examples where evaluations can be given. It seeks limit laws for n→ and finds a central limit result when a is fixed and the population law has a finite right extremity. Whenever the population law is attracted to an extremal law, a limit theorem can be found by letting a depend on n in an appropriate manner; thus the limit law is geometric when the extremal law is the Gumbel type. With these results, the paper obtains limit laws for ‘top end’ spacings X_(n) - X_(n-j) with j fixed.     

Antisocial and Prosocial Teasing Among Children: Perceptions and Individual Differences

Two studies examined fifth‐ and sixth‐grade students’ perceptions of antisocial and prosocial teasing among peers and potential correlates of individual differences in their tendencies to engage in both forms of teasing. The children were rated as showing a greater tendency to be prosocial teasers than antisocial teasers by both teachers and peers. In addition, the children indicated that they generally experienced and observed prosocial teasing more frequently than antisocial teasing at home and in school. Although boys were perceived to tease in a hostile, antisocial manner to a greater extent than were girls, the evidence for a gender difference in affiliative, prosocial teasing among these children was relatively weak. Additionally, systematic relations were found among ratings of the children's tendencies to engage in antisocial and prosocial teasing with peers, teachers’ ratings of their general level of antisocial and prosocial behavior with peers, ratings of the frequency with which they experienced antisocial and prosocial teasing at home and at school, and their attitudes toward antisocial and prosocial teasing.     

Statistical methods for noisy images with discontinuities

In this paper, we describe a new statistical method for images which contain discontinuities. The method tries to improve the quality of a 'measured' image, which is degraded by the presence of random distortions. This is achieved by using knowledge about the degradation process and a priori information about the main characteristics of the underlying ideal image. Specifically, the method uses information about the discontinuity patterns in small areas of the 'true' image. Some auxiliary labels 'explicitly' describe the location of discontinuities in the true image. A Bayesian model for the image grey levels and the discontinuity labels is built. The maximum a posteriori estimator is considered. The iterated conditional modes algorithm is used to find a (local) maximum of the posterior distribution. The proposed method has been successfully applied to both artificial and real magnetic resonance images. A comparison of the results with those obtained from three other known methods also has been performed. Finally, the connection between Bayesian 'explicity and 'implicit' models is studied. In implicit modelling, there is no use of any set of labels explicitly describing the location of discontinuities. For these models, we derive some constraints of the function by which the presence of the discontinuities is taken into account.     

Toward a Class-Cultural Theory of Social Movements: Reinterpreting New Social Movements

This paper examines the relationship between social class and social mobilization through reviewing the case of new social movements. The middle-class membership of new social movements is well documented but poorly explained by current New Class, New Social Movement, and Cultural Shift theories. These theories fail to recognize the interdependence between interests, values, and expressed ideas. Class culture provides an alternative framework for interpreting the complex relationships between class interests and consciousness in these movements. Through a comparison of working- and middle-class cultures, it is proposed that social class orders consciousness and shapes the interpretation of interests. Class cultures produce distinct class forms of political and organizational behavior while not defining any particular content of movement issues or politics. In particular, the middle-class membership of new social movements is explained by the cultural form of these movements which is distinctly middle class.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this article:
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Doherty, W. J. (1995). Soul searching: Why psychotherapy must promote moral responsibility .
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: McGoldrick, M. (1995). You can go home again Reconnecting with your family .
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Chamberlain, P. (1994). Family connections: A treatment foster care model for adolescents with delinquency .
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Emery, R. E. (1994). Renegotiating family relationships: Divorce, child custody, and mediation .
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Worden, M. (1994). Family therapy basics .
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Stahl, P. M. (1994). Conducting child custody evaluations: A comprehensive guide .
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Karpel, M. A. (1994). Evaluating couples: A handbook for practitioners .
PROFESSIONAL BOOKS: Johnson, S. M., & Greenberg, L. S. (1994). The heart of the matter: Perspectives on emotion in marital therapy .
GENERAL INTEREST BOOKS: Wallerstein, J. S., & Blakeslee, S. (1995). The good marriage: How and why love lasts .
GENERAL INTEREST BOOKS: Straus, M. (1994). Beating the devil out of them: Corporal punishment in American families .
SELF-HELP BOOKS: Kelley, P. (1995). Developing healthy stepfamilies .
SELF-HELP BOOKS: Mueser, K., & Gingerich, S. (1994). Coping with schizophrenia: A guide for families .
SELF-HELP BOOKS: Grant, G. G. (1995). The best kind of loving: A black woman's guide to finding intimacy .
VIDEOTAPE REVIEW: Couples Skills: Making Your Relationship Work . (1995). (Videotape based on the book of the same name.)     

Coincidence,Happenstance, Serendipity,Fate, or the Hand of God: Case Studies in Synchronicity

Many counselors are aware that synchronicity—unpredictable instances of meaningful coincidence—can play a significant role in career opportunities, yet the phenomenon of synchronicity in the career literature is underrepresented. The purpose of this article is to discuss the occurrence of synchronicity in the career development process. A philosophical context is presented and provides a framework for understanding synchronicity. Through the presentation of 3 case studies, synchronistic themes are explored. Using various career counseling processes, each client developed an authentic identity and found meaningful work through an experience with synchronicity. Implications for counselors are discussed.