Transforming Research Methods in Psychology

This project focuses on transforming research methods in psychology through sustained scholarly leadership, advocacy, and capacity building. Prof Sumaya Laher plays a central role in advancing equitable and rigorous research practices, most recently as editor of the Oxford University Press volume on research methods in psychology, and previously as co-editor of Transforming Research Methods in South Africa. Her work also includes thought leadership on the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence in academic writing.

The project is strengthened by growing international collaborations addressing challenges in psychological and social research, advocating for a more inclusive and equitable psychological science, as well as the co-production of online training for inclusive peer review. Additional contributions include national engagement with the Professional Board for Psychology at the Health Professions Council of South Africa on research psychology training, scholarship on research rigour and systematic reviews, the development of open-access online readings in research methods, leadership as Chair of the PsySSA Research Methodology Division, and contributions to open science and scholarly publishing through collaborations with AOSIS, Wits University Press, and ASSAf, alongside editorial roles with the South African Journal of Psychology (SAJP), African Journal of Psychological Assessment (AJOPA), International Journal of Testing amongst others. Currently Prof Laher serves as academic director for the Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures Programme (WESAF) which aims to provide research training to equip Fellows to complete interdisciplinary research on areas related to sustainability on the African continent.

Psychology Research Methods

Download Transforming Research Methods in the Social Sciences

Download Online Readings in Research Methods

Publications

• Laher, S. (2025). The ‘who’ in psychological research-choosing your sample. In Laher, S. (Ed.) Research methods in Psychology in South Africa. Oxford University Press
• Laher, S. & Israel, N. (2025). Establishing rigour in quantitative and qualitative research. In Laher, S. (Ed.) Research methods in Psychology in South Africa. Oxford University Press.
• Laher, S., Isaacs, S. & Mlangeni, L. (2025). Quantitative Data Analysis: Inferential statistical analysis. In Laher, S. (Ed.) Research methods in Psychology in South Africa. Oxford University Press.
• Isaacs, S., Mlangeni, L. & Laher, S. (2025). Quantitative Data Analysis: Preparing your data & descriptive statistical analysis. In Laher, S. (Ed.) Research methods in Psychology in South Africa. Oxford University Press.
• Laher, S. (2025). Contextualising the research process and practice. In Laher, S. (Ed.) Research methods in Psychology in South Africa. Oxford University Press.
• Laher, S. & Kramer, S. (2025). Qualitative Research Quality in South African Psychology. In U.Flick (Ed.). Handbook of Qualitative Research Quality. Sage
• Laher S. (2025). From scope to scale: reframing psychology careers in South Africa. South African Journal of Psychology. 55, 303-305. doi:10.1177/00812463251374526
• Laher, S. (2025). Using AI in academic writing: What’s allowed and what’s not? South African Journal of Psychology, 55, 155-158.
• Douglas, M., Bowman, B., Laher, S. & Bompani, B. (2025, February 6). Re-thinking recruitment approaches is crucial to developing doctoral research capacity in Africa. Southern Voice. https://southernvoice.org/re-thinking-recruitment-approaches-is-crucial-to-developing-doctoral-research-capacity-in-africa
• Uskul A.K.,  Thalmayer, A.G., Bernardo, A.B.,  González, R.,  Kende, A.,  Laher, S., Lášticová, B., Saab, R., Salas, G., Singh, P., Zeinoun, P., Norenzayan, A., Chao, M.M., Shoda, Y., Cooper, L.M. (2024). Challenges and Opportunities for Psychological Research in the Majority World. Collabra: Psychology, 10 (1): 123703. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.123703
• Laher, S. & Hassem, T. (2020). Doing systematic reviews. South African Journal of Psychology, 50 (4), 450-468. https://doi.org/10.1177/0081246320956417
• Laher, S., Fynn, A. & Kramer, S. (2019). Developing trends in social science research: Rigour, relevance and responsibility. In S.Laher, A.Fynn & S.Kramer (Ed.). Transforming research in the social sciences: Case studies from South Africa. Wits University Press.
• Kramer, S., Fynn, A., & Laher, S. (2019). Research as Practice: Contextualising applied research in the South African context. In S.Laher, A.Fynn & S.Kramer (Ed.). Transforming research in the social sciences: Case studies from South Africa. Wits University Press.
• Laher, S. (2016). Ostinato Rigore: Establishing methodological rigour in quantitative studies. South African Journal of Psychology, 46, 316-327
• Laher, S. (2010). Using exploratory factor analysis in personality research: Best practice recommendations. South African Journal of Industrial Psychology, 36, 1-7.
• Laher, S., Israel, N., & Pitman, M. (2007). Teaching research and statistics at undergraduate level: The RDA Tutorial Programme. South African Journal of Psychology, 37, 368-374.
• Laher, S. (2007). Reflections on teaching undergraduate psychology to part-time students versus full time students. South African Journal of Psychology, 37, 383-388.

Principal Investigator

Project Collaborations

Seminars

Complete the peer reviewer training here