The ability of microstructure theory to predict the behavior of polymers in transient shear fields is examined. Apparent viscosity and normal stress differences are formed for the cases of shear relaxation and growth using a microstructure model. The results agree qualitatively with experimental results for three different viscoelastic solutions. The analytical results are also compared to those of the Spriggs 4‐constant model and found to be in exact agreement for low shear rates. This agreement permits determination of the phenomenological coefficients in terms of the Spriggs constants.