OBLIGATION TO SEEK SENTANA AND FAMILY LOYALTY: A CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY VIEW OF BALINESE WOMEN’S EMOTIONS: Tuntutan Mencari Sentana dan Loyalitas Keluarga: Perspektif Psikologi Budaya terhadap Dinamika Emosi Perempuan Bali

pebriyanti Pebriyanti (Universitas Surabaya)
Marselius Sampe Tondok (Universitas Surabaya)

Santhet: (Jurnal Sejarah, Pendidikan Dan Humaniora)
Vol 10 No 4 (2026): Santhet (Jurnal Sejarah Pendidikan Dan Humaniora)

Sentana is a customary practice that appoints daughters as successors (purusa) within the Balinese patrilineal family system. Women who undertake the role of seeking sentana often experience conflicts between family obligations and personal desires. This study aims to understand how the demands of sentana influence the decision-making process and emotional regulation of Balinese women in dealing with familial and cultural pressures. This research employed a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach and used purposive sampling involving two Balinese women who were undergoing the process of seeking sentana. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a thematic approach. The findings indicate that the demands of sentana create emotional pressure characterized by feelings of distress, anger, disappointment, anxiety, and a tendency to suppress emotions, particularly when individuals are expected to establish relationships based on family criteria. The inability to express emotions openly within a family environment that emphasizes loyalty leads to prolonged psychological burdens. In addition, women demonstrate various emotional coping strategies to maintain their psychological well-being.