In the article there are the ethical principles that should guide the psychologist in working with different cultures, victims in an emergency situation. There is an attempt of comparative analysis of the main provisions of the ethical code of the Russian psychological society and the ethical code of the European Federation of psychological associations. Conclusions: 1. Psychologist helping people in the emergency area should have high qualification and special training. 2. A record of all specific duties in the emergency area contributes to aid effectiveness and maintains the occupational health specialist. 3. Knowledge of and adherence to ethical principles in working with people in the emergency area is not less important and mandatory for the psychologist than professional knowledge and skills.

The article discusses the differences in the reactions of people in the strong stressful situations, and cultural-specific factors as the probable causes of these differences. There are examples of emergency psychological assistance to representatives of different cultural and ethnic groups on the territory of the Russian Federation (Ossetians, Altaians, Yakuts) and abroad. The article discusses the questions of professional distance, personal mental health, and professional ethics in the work of the psychologist in the area of emergency. There discusses attitudes towards death in different religions. It is concluded that culturally specific factors of human behavior in emergency situations require special attention and respect from specialists, because are the psychological resource of people who are in difficult life circumstances. Consideration of these factors is necessary to build effective strategies of psychological assistance in emergencies.

The main theme of the article is the system of foreseeing and managing social and psychological risks in emergency situation (ES) areas. The method is based on a risk estimation of adverse social processes and phenomena such as: mass aggressive, hysteroid, phobic and panic reaction, rumors. In the process of analyzing 36 emergency situations the authors have identified 24 factors that have the most significant influence on the socio-psychological situation in the ES area. Accounting for identified factors allows us to construct a model which can become a base for analyzing and forecasting risks of all adverse social processes. It will help to organize the process of rational resource distribution in ES areas and to achieve the needed level of public safety.