In 1921 she won a Catherine Helen Spence Memorial Scholarship which allowed her to undertake a doctorate at the University of London; her main area of research was "mental efficiency and deficiency" in children.

She received her doctorate in 1924 and visited the United States and Canada to observe the teaching of intellectually disabled and delinquent children before returning to Australia.

[1] In November 1924 Davey was hired as the first psychologist in the South Australian Department of Education, where she was tasked with examining and organising classes for "backward, retarded and problem" school students.

[2] Davey was a member of the Women's Non-Party Political Association for 30 years and served as the organisation's president from 1943 to 1947.

[4] It wasn't until 1962 that South Australian women were granted the right to sit as jurors, when the deputation led by Roma Mitchell was finally successful.