Testimonial: Anne Maass (1996-2002)

I definitely thought (and still think) that it was by far the most interesting and most enjoyable ‛service-to-the-community’ job I have ever had. The one aspect I remember with some amusement was the endless discussion of whether or not to give affiliate members the same rights and duties as full members. At the time colleagues appeared afraid that North American psychologists might gain too much space, posing a threat to what was then considered a uniquely European social psychology. The solution turned out to be quite simple: We asked affiliate members what THEY wanted and it turned out that, at the time, they were actually quite happy to have fewer rights for lesser pay. Another truly unique feature of the association of those times was its ‛political’ involvement and its sense of fairness and inclusion, its regard for the underdog if you wish. The east-west meetings and the differential fees for east and west are two examples of this attitude which I always liked a lot and which distinguished EAESP from any of the North American associations.