Introduction to the special issue on applied psychology from transitional economies in eastern Europe

A decade ago communism in Europe collapsed, with ensuing political and econ omic transformations that continue. These transformations have been importa nt to applied psychology. One reason certainly is that these changes could be expected to have profound psychological effects on those struggling thro ugh them. Established routines were demolished as employers collapsed; shop ping and housing were transformed; the streets, press, and airwaves were fi lled with unaccustomed ideas and actions. Stable social status hierarchies were demolished with exposure to lavishly wealthy foreigners with differing values and behaviour patterns, Everything now seemed possible, from homele ssness and poverty to great riches and freedom. It was frightening and exhi larating-all aspects of society were changing and could be expected to chan ge in ways no one could foresee. How do people react to such monumental cha nges in the world around them? And what can we learn from their reactions t hat might enrich our theories of applied psychology? This special issue contains five empirical articles addressing how these ch anges affected the people living through them. Each makes a unique contribu tion to our understanding of such areas of applied psychology as motivation , culture, and employee attitudes. Furthermore, taken as a whole they make an even greater contribution. They suggest both that many of our assumption s about the nature of people's reactions to these changes are mistaken, and that our understanding of the role of self-reported assessments is limited in several significant ways.