DRM Webinar: Re-grounding Psychological Science: Why Realism Transcends the Methodological Divide
Join the PsySSA DRM and Prof Dave Maree as he advocates for realism as a unifying meta-theory for psychological science, transcending the divisive quantitative / qualitative split fostered by a “mythic image” of science.
From Science Communication to Public Engagement
Date: 15 May 2025
Time: 12h00 to 13h00
MS Teams Link: Click to join
About the webinar
Psychological science is often characterised by a divide between quantitative and qualitative methods. This talk argues that this division stems from a “mythic image of science” that overemphasises quantification and experimentation. Realism offers a robust alternative meta-theory by positing a mind-independent reality with underlying structures and mechanisms. Unlike positivism, realism values the investigation of unobservable entities, and unlike radical constructionism, it asserts that our constructions are about something real. Realism supports both quantitative methods in identifying and modelling causal mechanisms and qualitative methods in understanding meaning and social contexts. By adopting a realist perspective, psychological science can move beyond unproductive dichotomies towards a more integrated and comprehensive understanding of its subject matter.
Can’t join us live? Watch all recordings of the PsySSA DRM Webinars and Research Podcast episodes on the PsySSA DRM YouTube Channel
Prof David Maree
Prof David Maree has been Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology Faculty of Humanities since the end of 2023. He is currently the Head of the Interdisciplinary School of Psychology (ISOP) at the University of Pretoria. He currently teaches Psychometrics to MA Research students (PSY804).
He started working as a researcher in Traffic Research at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in 1987. He moved to the University of Pretoria as a full professor in the Department of Psychology. He is a registered research psychologist and an NRF-rated researcher. He was a member of the Association of Psychological Science (APS) and was President of the Psychological Society (PsySSA) of South Africa (PsySSA) for the 2013/14 period. He was chair of the psychometrics committee of the Psychology Board at the Health Professions Council for South Africa (HPCSA) from 2015 to 2018.