Психологични изследвания
Psychological Research

Psychological science in Bulgaria has passed a long and hard path of development. Prior to 1974 in Bulgaria there were neither separate departments of psychology at universities nor a separate academic unit devoted to development and transfer of psychological knowledge. At the same time psychological problems used to be profoundly studied in the well developed European countries, where a number of books and well established periodicals have been published. The need of profound scientific work and dissemination of psychological knowledge in Bulgaria was realized as early as 1972. This was facilitated by the faster economic and scientific growth and strengthened contacts with the European countries and the ex-USSR. In 1974 a department of psychology was established at the Sofia University based on the specialization in psychology launched a few years earlier. Almost parallel with this in 1973 an independent scientific unit of psychology was also founded at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Yet, publications on psychological issues were few. As a result of great efforts and realization of the need to publish scientific periodical, as to ensure dissemination of psychological articles among broader public and also of Bulgarian scientific achievements in psychology, the Central Laboratory of Psychology - BAS was allowed to publish the journal Psychological Research. Its first volume was published in 1987 as six-month periodical.The journal provided opportunities for publication and popularization of papers in the field of psychological science. Volume 2 published in the same year was the last one. Publication of the series was suspended because of shortage of finance and underestimation of its significance. Due to the great efforts of the managing board of the Institute of Psychology - BAS and particularly the efforts of its director at that time Assoc. Prof Vesselina Russinova to prove the need of psychological academic periodical, the Expert Council on Publishing Activity – BAS realized that need and expressed their concern. The journal was published semi-annually in 1998 by decision of the Managing Board. Policy of the journal since 2000 has been to elect members of the editorial board among heads of the Institute’s departments. In 2007 a new editorial board was elected: Main priorities of the journal are as follows: popularization of research activity of researchers from the Institute of Psychology – BAS;support to development of all major domains of psychology through promotion of publishing activity; dissemination of Bulgarian psychologists’ contributions abroad through publishing of interesting articles in English and articles of foreign researchers. Policy of the journal is to maintain its bilingual traditions. The Psychological Research Journal is of great importance not only for authors, but also for practitioners in psychology, for university and doctoral students in psychology, for all those who are interested in psychological achievements. Its editorial board strives to follow the good practices and maintain the high quality of scientific publications compliant to the European standards. Purpose of the editorial board’s work is to disseminate Bulgarian scientific achievements in the field of psychology among members of the international community of psychology.