Exploring collective wisdom II: The scope and foundations of a relationship-based approach in indigenous psychology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24854/jpu1580Keywords:
collectivism, culture-sensitive approach, relationality, relationship-based approachAbstract
This article examines the relational approach as a conceptual framework for understanding psychological experiences, particularly within the collectivistic context of Indonesian society. In contrast to conventional approaches that tend to position relationships as external variables, the relational approach conceptualises relationships as the foundation of self-formation and psychological processes. This paper elaborates the core assumptions of the relational approach and highlights its relevance within the indigenous context. Theoretical and practical implications are formulated by emphasising the importance of developing psychological frameworks that move beyond cultural sensitivity, instead grounding their understanding of human experience in relational realities.
Downloads
References
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497
Boshoff, K., Bowen, H., Paton, H., Cameron-Smith, S., Graetz, S., Young, A., & Lane, K. (2020). Child Development Outcomes of DIR/Floortime TM-based programs: A systematic review. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 87(2), 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008417419899224
Bowlby, J. (1988). A secure base: Parent-child attachment and healthy human development. Basic Books.
Himawan, K. K. (2024). Menggali kearifan kolektivisme: Pendekatan berbasis relasi dalam penelitian dan praktik psikologi di Indonesia. Jurnal Psikologi Ulayat, 11(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24854/jpu1016
Himawan, K. K., Bambling, M., & Edirippulige, S. (2021). Motivations and reactions to social undervaluation of singles in the married society. Families, Relationships, and Societies, 11(4), 569–589. https://doi.org/10.1332/204674321X16316940998258
Killam, K. (2024). The art and science of connection: Why social health is the missing key to living longer, healthier, and happier. HarperOne.
Lianda, T. C. R., & Himawan, K. K. (2022). A source of hope whilst in waiting: The contributions of religiosity to the psychological well-being of involuntarily single women. ANIMA Indonesian Psychological Journal, 37(2), 244–267. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24123/aipj.v37i2.5029
Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Maryanto, G. R. H., Himawan, K. K., & Akhtar, H. (2024). Self-compassion increases life satisfaction in singles who want to get married. ANIMA Indonesian Psychological Journal, 39(1), Artikel e06. https://doi.org/10.24123/aipj.v39i1.5493
Miller, J. B., & Stiver, I. P. (1997). The healing connection: How women form relationships in therapy and in life. Beacon Press.
Mrozowicz-Wrońska, M., Janowicz, K., Soroko, E., & Adamczyk, K. (2023). Let’s talk about single men: A qualitative investigation of never married men’s experiences of singlehood. Sex Roles, 89(7), 360–376. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-023-01380-y
Park, Y., Impett, E. A., & MacDonald, G. (2020). Singles’ sexual satisfaction is associated with more satisfaction with singlehood and less interest in marriage. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 47(5), 741–752. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167220942361
Wijaya, D. A., Widyorini, E., Primastuti, E., & Domiguez, J. (2021). Resilience, post-traumatic growth, and psychological well-being among adolescents experiencing parents’ marital dissolution. Jurnal Ilmu Perilaku, 5(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25077/jip.5.1.1-20.2021
Yoo, G., & Joo, S. (2022). Love for a marriage story: The association between love and marital satisfaction in middle adulthood. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31(6), 1570–1581. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-021-02055-6
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Karel Karsten Himawan

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The authors agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) for the exposure of their work with an acknowledgement of Jurnal Psikologi Ulayat: Indonesian Journal of Indigenous Psychology (JPU) as an outlet of their published work.
![]()
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.