DESPITE SOME OVERLAP, THE FOLLOWING PREVALENT FORMS OF ANONYMOPRAXIA MAY BE DISTINGUISHED: (1) MENACING COMMUNICATIONS, USUALLY HAVING ECONOMIC MOTIVES (BLACKMAIL); (2) COMMUNICATIONS FOR EMOTIONAL OR PASSIONATE MOTIVES (SEXUAL SLURS REGARDING A VICTIM'S REPUTATION); (3) THREATS OF DENUNCIATION; AND (4) ANONYMOPRAXIA IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR (RUMORS OR INSULTS). WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF SOCIAL HISTORY, THE TRADITIONAL SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES TENDED TO HARBOR THE SINGLE 'POISON PEN' WHILE MODERN MIDDLE-SIZED TOWNS OR ESPECIALLY LARGE CITIES ARE PLAGUED BY NUMEROUS DEPERSONALIZED ANONYMOPRAXISTS (USING, FOR EXAMPLE, PAMPHLETS OR PRESS CAMPAIGNS). THE NEW WAVE OF ANONYMOPRAXIA IS POSSIBLY A REACTION TO THE ANXIETY AND ANONYMITY OF MODERN ENVIRONMENTS. A CLASSIFICATION OF OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS OF SUCH PRACTICES CAN BE BASED ON TWO SOMEWHAT PARALLEL SCALES WHICH MAY INTERSECT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. THE FIRST SCALE REPRESENTS VARIOUS DEGREES OF OFFENDER ANONYMITY RANGING FROM THE KNOWN (DEGREE ZERO) TO THE SINGLE ANONYMOUS PERSON (DEGREE 1) TO THE COMPLETELY DEPERSONALIZED ANONYMOUS RUMOR (DEGREE 4). THE SECOND SCALE REPRESENTS THE VICTIMS' DEGREE OF ANONYMITY AND RANGES FROM THE SINGLE KNOWN VICTIM AND (DEGREE 1) AND FAMILY VICTIMS (DEGREE 2) TO AN ENTIRE CITY OR SOCIETY (DEGREE 4). THUS FOR EACH CASE OF ANONYMOPRAXIA, OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS CAN BE LOCATED ANYWHERE ALONG EITHER OF THESE SCALES. --IN FRENCH.