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115
E-ISSN: 2579-6518
P-ISSN: 1410-1289
Volume 28 Nomor 1, Januari 2023: 115-132
DOI:10.20885/psikologika.vol28.iss1.art8
Understanding Forgiveness among Minangnese Ethnicity: The Effect of
Religiosity, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Socio-Cultural Science, Universitas Islam
Indonesia, Yogyakarta
Raden Rachmy Diana
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universitas Islam Negeri
Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta
Abstract. The Minangnese are an ethnic group in Indonesia that reside in West Sumatra. It has
characterized by an emphasis on harmony in all aspects of life. Despite this emphasis, the
Minangnese recognize that conflict is a natural occurrence. The study aimed to investigate the
effect of religiosity and interpersonal attachment on forgiveness through agreeableness and
neuroticism in the Minangnese ethnicity. Minangnese ethnic participants were selected by
considering the following criteria, namely citizens of and living in West Sumatra Province, claimed
to be Minangnese people, Muslim, and living in West Sumatra Province for the last 10 years. Using
a stratified cluster random sampling method, 205 Minangnese individuals were recruited and
administered five questionnaires to assess forgiveness, agreeableness, neuroticism, religiosity,
and interpersonal attachment. The results indicated that religiosity had a significant influence on
forgiveness in the Minangnese ethnicity, with this influence being mediated by agreeableness and
neuroticism. Specifically, religiosity was found to have a positive effect on emotional stability and
a negative effect on neuroticism, as well as reducing hostility and anger and decreasing anxiety.
These findings suggest that religiosity and agreeableness may be important factors to consider
when seeking to understand and promote forgiveness in the Minangnese ethnicity.
Keywords: agreeableness, interpersonal attachment, Minangnese, neuroticism, religiosity
Memahami Pemaafan pada Etnis Minangkabau: Pengaruh Religiusitas,
Kebaikan Hati, dan Neurotisisme
Abstrak. Suku Minang adalah suku bangsa di Indonesia yang bermukim di Sumatera Barat. Suku
ini dicirikan dengan penekanan pada harmoni dalam semua aspek kehidupan. Terlepas dari
penekanan ini, orang Minang mengakui bahwa konflik adalah kejadian yang wajar. Penelitian ini
bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh religiusitas dan keterikatan interpersonal terhadap pemaafan
melalui sifat kebaikan hati dan neurotisisme pada suku Minang. Partisipan etnis Minang dipilih
dengan mempertimbangkan kriteria sebagai berikut, yaitu warga dari dan tinggal di Provinsi
Sumatera Barat, mengaku sebagai orang Minang, Muslim, dan tinggal di Provinsi Sumatera Barat
lebih dari 10 tahun terakhir. Melalui metode stratified cluster random sampling, 205 orang Minang
direkrut dan diberikan lima kuesioner untuk menilai pemaafan, sifat kebaikan hati dan sifat
neurotisisme, religiusitas, dan keterikatan interpersonal diri mereka. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan
bahwa religiusitas memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pemaafan pada etnis Minang, di
mana pengaruh tersebut dimediasi oleh sifat kebaikan hati dan neurotisisme. Secara khusus,
religiusitas ditemukan memiliki efek positif pada stabilitas emosi dan efek negatif pada
neurotisisme, serta mengurangi permusuhan, kemarahan, dan kecemasan. Temuan ini
menunjukkan bahwa religiusitas dan kebaikan hati menjadi faktor penting untuk dipertimbangkan
ketika berusaha memahami dan mempromosikan pemaafan suku bangsa Minang.
Kata Kunci: etnis Minang, kebaikan hati, keterikatan interpersonal, neurotisisme, pemaafan, religiusitas
Correspondence: Fuad Nashori. Email: fuadnashori@uii.ac.id
116 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
Indonesian culture in general, can be
categorized into two, namely Javanese culture
and Malay culture (Naim, 1986). Javanese
culture is concerned with feelings, while Malay
is associated with reason. The Minangnese
culture is classified as one of the Malay culture
groups that uphold rationality.
Minangnese is one of the ethnicities in
Indonesia that emphasizes harmony within the
local community and wherever they live or
migrate (Rosa, 2017). Therefore, the phrase di
mana bumi dipijak di situ langit dijunjung,
meaning: when in Rome, behave like the
Romans, gives a message on the importance of
living in harmony with their neighbors.
However, irrespective of the fact that they
place great importance on harmony, the
Minangnese ethnic group considers conflict a
natural phenomenon (Muluk & Murniati, 2007).
There is an interesting expression held firmly
by these people, namely basilang kayu di
tungku baru api ka nyalo, which means that
when crossing the wood with the stove, the
fire tends to burn. These conflicts were not
suppressed. Instead, they were left open to be
managed t hrough dialogue to reach an
agreement.
Conflict situations in the Minangnese
community are associated with unpleasant
expressions and various insults from one
person to another (Refmiyanti et al., 2012).
According to Nashori et al. (2020), people that
consider self-disclosure important generally
have psychological readiness to assume
unpleasant disclosure occurs from others.
Therefore, these categories of people are not
prone to anger, hurt, and resentment,
irrespective of what others have said and done
to them, because they easily forgive.
A research study conducted by
Novitasari dan Adri (2021) revealed that the
majority of Minang individuals tend to forgive
unpleasant actions directed towards them. In
fact, 94.11% of respondents indicated that
Minang people generally exhibit good behavior
towards individuals who have violated their
rights. Additionally, they often attempt to
provide offenders with a second opportunity
to better themselves. However, a third of the
respondents believed tha t some form of
punishment or consequences should be
imposed on those who had violated the rights
of others, as this could prevent the repetition
of similar mistakes in the future. Furthermore,
some participants stated that they would
maintain social distance from the offender and
may experience a loss of trust in individuals who
have violated their rights.
Several positive outcomes may arise
from individuals granting forgiveness to those
who have infringed upon their rights.
Forgiveness has been found to enhance
resilience effectively (Saputro & Nashori,
2017), improve psychological well-being
(Fitriani & Widiningsih, 2020; Juwita & Kustanti,
2020), increase subjective well-being (Amalia
et al., 2022), and facilitate the process of
reconciliation (Deutsch, 2008). In addition,
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Understanding Forgiveness among Minangnese Ethnicity: The Effect of Religiosity, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism
PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
forgiveness may also decrease depression
(Barcaccia et al., 2019; Booker & Perlin, 2021;
Chung, 2016), reduce anxiety (Oktaviana,
2022), and alleviate anger resulting from
bullying behavior (Watson et al., 2015)
While contemporary psychologists
studying forgiveness may have various
definitions of the concept, they tend to agree
upon its meaning. Forgiveness is not only
related to negative thoughts, feelings, and
interpersonal behaviors in the past but also has
the potential to lead to positive outcomes in the
future. (Nashori, Iskandar, et al., 2020) define
forgiveness as a willingness to leave unpleasant
things that come from interpersonal
relationships with others and foster positive
thoughts, feelings, and interpersonal
relationships with the person who commits
unjust violations. Accordingly, forgiveness has
three dimensions. They are the cognitive
dimension (relieve negative judgments against
the perpetrator, have a reasonable explanation
for the painful treatment, and have a balanced
view of the perpetrator), emotional dimension
(relieve feelings of anger, hurt, and hate, relieve
a desire for revenge, control emotions when
treated unpleasantly, feel compassion and
affection, and motivate for kindness/
generosity), and interpersonal dimension
(abandon hurtful behaviors and words, abandon
indifferent behaviors, abandon avoidant
behaviors, increase reconciliation efforts, feel
comfortable when interacting with the
perpetrator, and consult with the perpetrator).
Studies conducted on other ethnicities
indicated tha t Islamic religiosity and
interpersonal attachment influence forgiveness
(Nashori et al., 2019; Nashori, Gusniarti, et al.,
2020; Nashori, Iskandar, et al., 2020). Nashori,
Iskandar, et al. (2020) stated that the
forgiveness of the Javanese people with a
negarigung (state) culture (Yogyakarta) is
influenced by religiosity and interpersonal
attachment through agreeableness and
neuroticism traits. The study indicates that
cultural factors contribute to the formation of
forgiveness behavior, such as interpersonal
attachment. Nashori, Gusniarti, et al. (2020)
researched Javanese culture, which has a
negarigung sub-culture in the Yogyakarta area.
Furthermore, Purwadi (2006) stated that those
living in the cultural area of negarigung, also
known as tiyang negari (negari people), have
traits that promote refinement in language and
art syncretic religious life.
A subsequent study was carried out by
Nashori, Nurdin, et al. (2020) on Javanese
people mancanegari subculture in Surabaya city
and its surroundings. Purwadi (2006) further
stated that the Javanese ethnic with
mancanegari subculture have traits that
emphasize candor; therefore, they tend to
ignore the refinement of language while
speaking. Mancanegari subculture people are
known to have the vitality or a high spirit of
life and religiosity based on strong religious
teachings, with relatively different
characteristics than Javanese ethnic with a
118 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
negarigung subculture. The above results
indicate that the forgiveness model for Javanese
ethnics with mancanegari subcultures is
different, with no effect on the personality trait
factor of neuroticism. In contrast, the cultural
factor of interpersonal attachment affects
forgiveness.
The Minangnese culture has a different
orientation, in contrast to the Javanese, which is
influenced by the collectivistic culture. Naim
(1986) has pointed out that Minangnese has
emphasized rational thinking. The main
characteristic of rational thinking is giving a
logical perspective on every situation or event,
including reasoning about the good and bad
things. Novitasari and Adri (2021) study has
underlined that giving a second chance to
someone who makes a mistake is essential for
Minang people. It is a rational option to forgive
them for taking advantage of their future
relationship. Another study has underlined that
the Minangnese ethnic tends to have high scores
on rationality. Nashori, Nurdin, et al. (2020)
reported that the Minangnese ethnic group is
aware of other reasoning before making a
decision. The score was highest compared to
Javanese ethnic with a negarigung subculture,
Javanese ethnic with a mancanegari subculture,
Madura, and Bugis. It all highlighted the urgency
of rationality among the Minangnese.
Another factor affecting Minangnese
people to forgive is religiosity. As stated by
Ancok and Suroso (2018), religiosity refers to
an individual’s level of knowledge, belief,
implementation, and devotion to the teachings
of their religion. This is because it takes a
significant position on religion as a guide for
their life. The prominent expression of the
Minangnese ethnicity is adat basyandi syara’,
syara’ basandi kitabullah which means habit
or behavior based on Shari’a or religious
teachings based on the holy book as al-Qur’an.
Nashori et al. (2015) stated that the Minangnese
ethnicity shows more religiosity than
mancanegari Javanese, negarigung Javanese,
and Maduranese.
Multiple studies have found that
religiosity may have an impact on forgiveness.
A meta-analytic review found a moderate
relationship between religion/spirituality and
trait forgivingness, and a smaller, possibly
inconsistent, relationship between religion/
spirituality and state forgiveness (Davis et al.,
2013). Escher (2013) found that self-
forgiveness and interpersonal forgiveness have
a positive and statistically significant effect on
relational orientation to God, divine imitation,
and carrying religious beliefs into other
dealings. Individuals who collaborate with God,
imitate God’s forgiveness, and view religion as
pervasive in their lives are more likely to
forgive themselves and others.
Religiosity and personality are both
important factors that can influence
forgiveness. Research has shown that
religiosity is associated with a higher tendency
toward forgiveness and a lower inclination
toward revenge (Ayten, 2012; Krause, 2017).
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PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Additionally, studies have found that religion
may have a causal effect on self-forgiveness
(Fincham et al., 2020). Personality traits, such
as agreeableness and conscientiousness, are
also consistently related to religiousness
(Ashton & Lee, 2021). When it comes to
forgiveness, certain personality traits, including
neuroticism, agreeableness, and extraversion,
have been found to be associated with different
aspects of forgiveness (Kaleta & Mróz, 2018).
The relationship between neuroticism and
willingness to forgive may be mediated by
justice sensitivity (Çoklar & Dönmez, 2019).
Agreeableness has also been linked to
motivations to avoid and seek revenge, and
gender may play a role in the relationship
between agreeableness and motivation to
revenge (Rey & Extremera, 2016). Overall,
these findings suggest that both religion and
personality can influence forgiveness in
complex ways.Top of Form
Furthermore, Nashori, Nurdin, et al.
(2020) reported that the Minangnese ethnic
group had the highest interpersonal
attachment. Among large ethnic in Indonesia,
such as Java, Madura, and Bugis, Minangnese
ethnic group has the highest score. Therefore,
it is interesting to determine whether the
forgiveness model accompanied by the
interpersonal attachment phenomenon applies
to the Minangnese ethnicity. According to
Nashori, Nurdin, et al. (2020), interpersonal
attachment is a psychological condition in
which an individual takes into consideration the
presence of others when making decisions on
important matters in their life, particularly
those related to interpersonal relationships
with others.
The variety and interpersonal
attachment drives personality trait and
minimize personality trait such as neuroticism.
By maintaining high agreeableness, people could
raise forgiveness in responding to various
events in their life. By maintaining low
neuroticism, people could raise forgiveness in
responding to various events in their life
(Nashori, Iskandar, et al., 2020).
This study differs from previous research
conducted on the Javanese subculture of
Negarigung (Nashori, Iskandar, et al., 2020), the
Javanese subculture of Mancanegari (Nashori,
Gusniarti, et al., 2020), and the Madurese
ethnicity (Nashori et al., 2019). Unlike the
aforementioned ethnicities, which prioritize
feelings, the Minang ethnic group places a
strong emphasis on rationality. This distinction
may lead to a different model of forgiveness
among the Minang ethnicity compared to other
groups that prioritize emotions.
This research examines the role of
personality, religiosity, and sociocultural
factors in forgiveness among the Minangnese
ethnicity in Indonesia. Understanding these
factors can help to shed light on the processes
involved in forgiveness and may provide
insight into how to facilitate forgiveness in
conflict situations. The proposed hypothesis of
this study is that religiosity and interpersonal
120 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
attachment affect the forgiveness of individuals
from the Minangnese ethnicity through
agreeableness and neuroticism traits.
Method
Participants
The participant of the study is
Minangnese ethnicity living in West Sumatra,
especially Padang, Pariaman, Sawahlunto, and
Solok cities. This study uses a stratified cluster
sampling technique, comprising of a cluster and
stratified random sampling. Minangnese ethnic
subjects were selected by considering the
following criteria, namely: (1) those living in
West Sumatra Province as citizens; (2) claimed
to be Minangnese people; (3) those living in
areas categorized as Minang culture, namely
West Sumatra Province, for the last 10 years;
(4) both parents of adolescents come from the
Minangkabau tribe and have lived in a
Minangnese cultural area for the last 10 years;
and (5) those that use the Minangnese language
in their daily interactions.
The data were obtained from 205
subjects living in Padang, Sawahlunto, and Solok
cities in West Sumatra using a stratified cluster
random sampling technique. The details for the
number of subjects obtained are as follows:
Table 1
Number of Subjects with Data Obtained
Group n
Elderly (60 years and over)
20
Middle Adult (40-59 years) 30
Young adult (19
-
39 years)
80
Adolescent (12-18 years) 75
Note. N = 205
Instruments
There are five measuring instruments
used in this study, namely Forgiveness Scale,
Personaity (Agreeableness, Neuroticism) Scale,
Religiosity Scale, and Interpersonal Attachment
Scale. All these scales were developed by
Nashori (2012). The Forgiveness Scale is based
on the construct of forgiveness theory which
reveals three aspects of forgiveness, namely
cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal
(Nashori, Iskandar, et al., 2020). There are 14
items used in this research. Examples of these
items include: “I have thrown away any
resentment from my life,” “I try to approach
people who have hurt me for a better situation,”
and “I get annoyed when interacting with
people who have hurt me”.
Personality trait scale (agreeableness and
neuroticism) is based on the construct of
McCrae and Costa Jr. (2003). The agreeableness
trait is a characteristic that indicates a person
who is kind, friendly, humble, willing to
compromise, avoids conflict, and tends to
follow others. The aspects of the agreeableness
trait are tender-mindedness, modesty, altruism,
trust, compliance, and straight-forwardness.
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PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
There are eight agreeableness items used in the
research. Examples of these items include: “I
believe in what others say,”; “I care about the
state of another person,”; “I am able to directly
express my opinion to others in a polite
manner”.
Neuroticism trait is a personali ty
characterized by easily experiencing anxiety,
anger, depression, and a tendency to be
emotionally reactive. The aspects of
neuroticism trait include depression, self-
consciousness, vulnerability, anxiety, hostility,
and impulsiveness. There are eight neuroticism
items used in this research. Examples of these
items include: “I easily get offended,”; “I easily
feel sad,”; and “I am less able to accept my state
of condition.”
The Religiosity Scale is compiled based
on the theoretical constructs of Ancok et al.
(2018) which reveals five dimensions of
religiosity, consist of religious faith, religious
worship, religious effect, religious feeling, and
religious knowledge. Religiosity Scale 1 which
measures the dimensions of faith, worship,
morals, and feeling. There are 32 items on the
religiosity scale 1, with examples of items
including: “I feel that only with the help of Allah
can I obtain what I want,”; “I feel that Allah
answers my prayers by saving the people I
love,”; and “I am grateful for all the blessings
that Allah has given me.”
Religiousity Scale 2 measures religious
knowledge (Nashori, Iskandar, et al., 2020)
with 15 items. Examples of items include:
“Surat al-Ikhlas (qul-hu) speaks about:
Obedience, Seeking protection from Satan,
The oneness of Allah, or The importance of
sacrifice,”; “The Dawud fast is observed every
Monday and Thursday, every other day, during
the middle of the lunar month, or one month
before Ramadan,”; “Prophet Muhammad
received the title al-Amin, which means:
Forgiving, Strong conviction, Trustworthy, or
Anti-corruption.”
The interpersonal attachment scale
measures the construct of interpersonal
attachment theory (Nashori, Nurdin, et al.,
2020). The aspec ts o f interpersonal
atta ch m e nt include the att i tude a nd
behavior of the partner, the quality of the
individual and partner relationship, and
third-party consideration. There are 12
items on the interp ersonal attachment
scale, with examples of items including:
“My closeness with people who conflict
with me makes it easy for me to forget their
wrongdoing”; “I ignore advice from people
I re s pec t to ap proach someone wh o
conflicts with me”; and “ M y f rie nds
encourage me to reconcile with someone
who has conflicted with me.”
All measuring instruments have been
tested and show the following alpha
coefficients. All scales have alpha coefficients
above 0.70, indicating good reliability. This can
be seen in Table 2.
122 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
Table 2
Alpha Coefficient of Research Scale
Scale Cronbach’s α
Forgiveness Scale .935
Personality Scale: Agreeableness Trait .743
Personality Scale: Neuroticism Trait .908
Religiosity Scale 1 (Faith, Worship, Morals, Ihsan) .950
Religiosity Scale 2 (Religious Knowledge) .870
Interpersonal Attachment Factor Scale .928
Note. From Nashori, Iskandar et al. (2020)
Procedure
The present study was initiated by
identifying the research topic by developing a
research proposal. This proposal was crafted
in accordance with the researcher’s interests
in examining forgiveness among various
ethnicities in Indonesia and abroad. In the
proposal process, a key consideration was the
identification of a discrepancy between ideals
and realities in the field, as well as the discovery
of new insights and differences between this
research and previous studies on the topic. The
research objectives were subsequently
established, followed by formulating the
research hypothesis and the chosen method of
inquiry. Quantitative in nature, this study
employed a forgiveness model in its design.
Upon the approval of the proposal, the data
collection phase of the research was initiated.
The data for this study was collected using
random cluster sampling. The first step was to
select four districts in West Sumatra. These
districts included Padang, Pariaman,
Sawahlunto, and Solok. In the second step, three
sub-districts within each district were chosen.
In the third step, three villages were selected
from these sub-districts. In the fourth step,
research participants from various age groups,
including adolescents, young adults, middle-aged
adults, and the elderly, were invited to complete
the various scales.
Data collection for this study was
conducted using a scale provided on paper.
Before completing the scale, participants were
asked to provide personal identification
information such as their initials, age, gender,
city or district of residence, length of time living
in West Sumatra, primary language spoken, and
the ethnicity of their parents. The researcher
also included instructions for completing the
scale and their contact information on the sheet
of paper. In addition, the purpose of the
questionnaire and the predetermined criteria
for participant selection were explained to the
participants. Those who expressed their
willingness to participate in the study were
required to complete a statement of consent.
After the data was collected and inputted,
the data analysis process was carried out. Lisrel
version 8.8 was used to analyze the data, divided
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Understanding Forgiveness among Minangnese Ethnicity: The Effect of Religiosity, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism
PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
into two stages. The first stage involved
examining the relationship between religiosity,
interpersonal attachment, agreeableness,
neuroticism, and forgiveness among
individuals of the Minang ethnicity. If any of
these variables were found not significantly to
impact the model, the second stage of analysis
was conducted to examine their influence
further.
Data analysis
Structural Equation Models (SEM) were
used to determine the forgiveness levels of the
three ethnicities used in this research.
Furthermore, SEM can simultaneously perform
the measurement and structural equation
models; therefore, it is more efficient. The
measurement model is calculated through
confirmatory factor analysis on the research
variables’ latent constructs, which empirically
shows that many indicators form a construct.
Furthermore, Lisrel version 8.8 was used to
determine the data analysis program.
Results
This study aimed to investigate the effect
of religiosity and interpersonal attachment on
forgiveness through agreeableness and
neuroticism in the Minangnese ethnicity.
Hypothesis testing was carried out in two stages.
In the first stage, the religiosity and
interpersonal attachment model was tested to
determine the influences on forgiveness
through agreeableness and neuroticism in the
Minangnese ethnicity supported by empirical
data. When one of the two intermediate
variables (agreeableness and neuroticism traits)
does not contribute to forgiveness, then a
second hypothesis test is carried out on the
religiosity model, which tends to influence
forgiveness through agreeableness and
neuroticism in Minangnese ethnicity supported
by empirical data.
The first stage of the hypothesis test
shows that the model of religiosi ty and
interpersonal attachment influences on
forgiveness through agreeableness and
neuroticism in Minangnese ethnicity. This is
supported by empirical data, however, the
neuroticism variable does not correlate with
forgiveness. Therefore, based on hypothesis
testing using SEM, the results are as shown in
Figure 1.
124 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
Figure 1
The Model of Religiosity Influence on Forgiveness through the Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and
Interpersonal Attachment Traits
The modification model was carried out
with the consideration that there is no effect of
neuroticism on forgiveness. Therefore, a
change in the hypothesis or the second stage of
the hypothesis test on the forgiveness
Minangnese ethnicity’s forgiveness was
influenced by religiosity through agreeableness
and neuroticism.
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PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Figure 2
Model of the Religiosity Influence on Forgiveness through the Agreeableness and Neuroticism Traits
The Fit Model above clearly shows that the
overall model of forgiveness is fit or is supported
by empirical data, as shown from the value of
RMSE at .079. It clearly illustrates several things,
firstly, there are two endogenous variables,
namely agreeableness and neuroticism traits,
which have an absolute effect on forgiveness,
with load factors of 2.88 and -2.59, respectively.
Secondly, there is an independent/exogenous
variable, namely religiosity (factor load -4.32),
with an influential role in contributing to
neuroticism. Thirdly, there is an independent/
exogenous variable, namely religiosity (load
factor 5.08), with an influential role in
contributing to the agreeableness trait.
The results of the factor load, t-value, and
significance associated with the research are
shown in Table 3.
126 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
Table 3
Coefficient of Effect between Research Variables on All Subjects
Variable
R
2
t
Religiosity
-
Agreeableness
.33
5.08
Religiosity
-
Neuroticism
.29
-
4.32
Neuroticism
-
Forgiveness
.31
-
2.59
Agreeableness – Forgiveness .31 2.88
Discussion
This research indicates that the
religiosity influence model on forgiveness
through the medium of agreeableness and
neuroticism in the Minangnese ethnicity is in
accordance with the empirical data. Therefore,
forgiveness behavior of the Minangnese
ethnicity is influenced by religiosity. These
predictor variables are used to optimize
agreeableness and minimize individuals’
neuroticism. These results are following the
forgiveness model developed by McCullough
(2001). On the other hand, this is different from
the research carried out by Nashori, Iskandar,
et al. (2020) as well as Nashori, Gusniarti, et al.
(2020), which involved interpersonal
attachment variables in influencing forgiveness.
These results support McCullough (2001)
research, which stated that forgiveness is
influenced by agreeableness and neuroticism,
which are, in turn, dominated by religiosity.
People that rate themselves as religious tend to
have higher forgiveness and see themselves as
more forgiving than less religious. Nashori,
Diana, et al. (2020) reported that the
relationship value with God and self has a
significant effect on forgiveness. This is because
the closer people are to God, the easier it is for
them to forgive.
Normatively, religion prompts forgive-
ness after receiving unpleasant or hurtful
treatment from others. This can be seen from
several expressions from al-Quran’s holy verses
(Surah al-A’raf 7: 199 and Surah asy-Syuura 42:
37). The Minangnese ethnicity understands that
as religious people, they need to forgive others’
mistakes, promoting agreeableness. Similarly,
the Minang ethnic group put their behavior
based on Islamic law and the al-Qur’an. This
research shows that the biggest role of the
dimension of religiosity is faith. The dimension
of charity or morals regulates individuals’
strategies to interact with others to fulfill Allah’s
orders. The essence of morals is the principle of
rahmatan lil ‘alamien, also known as
compassion for the universe.
Religion plays a very important role in
the life of Minang ethnicity. A study by Nashori
et al. (2015) showed that the Minang ethnic
group has a higher religiosity score than others
in Indonesia terms of faith, worship, ihsan, and
religious knowledge.
Furthermore, this research shows that
religiosity produces forgiveness through an
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PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
intermediary variable, which is agreeableness
for others’ love. Webb et al. (2005) stated that
there is a positive and negative correlation
between God’s love and forgiveness, as well as
God’s control and forgiveness. Therefore, the
higher the concept of God’s loves and controls
in a person, the higher the forgiveness. This
perception leads them to love each other.
The love for others within an individual
grows and develops into a high moral of
responsibility towards them. Ashton and Lee
(2021) stated that people with high
agreeableness tend to have a higher moral
responsibility. Furthermore, these people’s
categories show a greater tendency to share
their resources with those that are hurt and do
not consider their mistakes important (Nashori,
Gusniarti, et al., 2020). In these circumstances,
it is easy for them to forgive.
Webb et al. (2005) stated that people
classified as having good religiosity cannot
forgive others’ unpleasant treatment.
Appreciation and internalization of the God
traits affect forgiveness, therefore when an
individual interprets Him as someone loving
and compassionate, then there is a process of
internalizing those same qualities in others. On
the other hand, the assertive appreciation of
God’s characteristics, such as controlling,
makes a person internalize God’s traits. The
appreciation of God’s controlling traits does not
make the individual forgiving.
Furthermore, when the internalization
of God’s strict or controlling traits is more
prominent, people’s religiosity does not make
them forgiving. When receiving unpleasant
treatment, they prefer to qishash, which means
repaying in kind for the hurtful treatment or
unpleasant actions from others. This is
understood and interpreted from several
related verses of the Qur’an, such as Surah an-
Nahl 16 verses 126-127 and Surah ash-Syuura
42 verses 40.
These research findings also indicate that
religiosity increases emotional stability and
decreases individual neuroticism. This means
that this research supports the opinion of Najati
(2004) and Ancok et al. (2018). Religious belief
makes people patient, which is important to
Allah ‘azza wa jalla. All unpleasant accidents are
a form of testing from God intended to make
individuals s tronger (Nashori, 2004).
Conversely, religiosity plays a role in reducing
depression, feelings of helplessness,
hopelessness, inadequacy, and sadness.
According to Hawari (1999), people with
strong religious commitment can withstand
depression, compared to those with stress, and
more resistant to pain. According to the Holy
Qur’an, the religious need to believe that after
difficulties, there is convenience, therefore,
they do not despair when faced with difficulties
(Surah al-Insyirah / 94). In addition, they do
not give up because it is a sign of denial to Allah
or disbelief (Surah Yusuf / 12: 87). The Prophet
Muhammad advised Muslims not to embrace
death quickly when face with difficulties. This
can be seen from the following hadith:
128 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
According to Anas, the Prophet
Muhammad advised followers to desist from
wishing to die when faced with difficulties.
However, those wishing for death need to say
the following: O Allah! Keep me alive as long as
life is better for me, and let me die when death
is better. (Bukhari from Anas bin Malik).
This research shows that religiosity can
also reduce hostility and anger, which increases
the desire to hurt others. Religious people are
guided and trained to become individuals that
can control anger. In a hadith, the Prophet
Muhammad stated that a strong person is not
someone good at wrestling, rather a person
capable of not being angry (Narrated by al-
Bukhari and Muslim from Abi Hurairah). In
another hadith, the Prophet Muhammad stated
that following:
Surely anger is made up of coals of fire
that burned the stomach of Adam’s son.
Therefore, always remember that good
people h old b ack an ger and accelerate
pleasure, while bad people are the ones that
accelerate anger and slow down pleasure
(Narrated by Ahmad from Abu Sai d al-
Khudriy).
Furthermore, this research also shows
that religiosity plays a role in reducing anxiety,
which is in line with Najati (2004) analysis that
there is an unbroken bond between God and
humans. A truly religious human being is
protected from anxiety. Najati’s statement is
similar to the verse: O mankind, instructions
come from your Lord, and healing is in the
breasts, with guidance and mercy for the
believers. (Yunus / 10: 57).
The results showed that religiosity is also
associated with lower anxiety. Abdel-Khalek et
al. (2019) research reported religiosity’s role
in reducing individual anxiety. The findings
above are supported by the Adi (1995) that
regular prayer eliminates anxiety in students
preparing for their exams.
When emotional stability is present in a
person, it is easy for them to forgive. However,
this research also indicates that neuroticism has
a negative effect on forgiveness, which support
the previous studies conducted on different
ethnicities, namely Dayakese and Maduranese
ethnicity (Marta & Fernando, 2020), Persian,
Azeri, Kurdish (Bonab et al., 2021), blacks and
whites (Smith & McFarland, 2015), Javanese
ethnic group with a negarigung subculture
(Nashori, Iskandar, et al., 2020), Javanese
(Suharsono & Susetyo, 2017), Javanese ethnic
group with mancanegari subculture (Nashori,
Gusniarti, et al., 2020), and Maduranese
(Nashori et al., 2019). How do the psychological
dynamics of neuroticism affect forgiveness?
Based on the effect of psychological
dynamics on forgiveness, McCullough (2001)
stated that emotionally stable people tend to be
moody or overly sensitive. Conversely, people
that are emotionally unstable with high
neuroticism are easily influenced by mood.
Several studies reported that people with high
emotional stability have higher disposition
scores to forgive than those with lower scores.
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PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Conclusion
The research study explored the
relationship between religiosity and
forgiveness in the Minangnese ethnicity in
Indonesia. The study found that religiosity
influences forgiveness through the
intermediate variables of agreeableness and
neuroticism, in accordance with the
forgiveness model proposed by McCullough
(2001). The results of this study support the
idea that religious individuals tend to be more
forgiving and see themselves as more forgiving
than less religious individuals. The study also
suggests that religion prompts forgiveness in
response to hurtful or unpleasant treatment
from others and that the Minangnese ethnicity
bases their behavior on Islamic law and the
Qur’an.
However, the study has several
limitations, including the use of self-reported
data, the limited sample size, and the focus on
only two intermediate variables. Despite these
limitations, the findings of this study suggest
that religiosity and agreeableness are essential
factors to consider when seeking to understand
and promote forgiveness in the Minangnese
ethnicity.
Suggestion
This study has several limitations that
need to be taken into consideration. One
limitation of the study is that it is based on a
sample from a single cultural group, the
Minangnese ethnicity. While the findings may
be relevant to this group, they may not
necessarily apply to other cultural groups or
populations. Additionally, the study only
examined the relationship between religiosity
and forgiveness through the intermediaries of
agreeableness and neuroticism. It is possible that
other variables, such as attachment style or
personality traits, may also influence this
relationship, but these were not analyzed in the
present study.
One suggestion for improving
interventions designed to foster forgiveness
among the Minangnese people is to incorporate
elements of religiosity or to consider the
influence of religiosity on forgiveness
behaviors. This may involve using religious
teachings or practices that promote
forgiveness or partnering with religious leaders
to promote forgiveness in the community.
Another implication may be to focus on
developing agreeableness and other kinds of
cooperative behaviors, which could involve
providing training in communication, conflict
resolution, and empathy or creating
opportunities for individuals to practice these
skills in real-world situations.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge
the funding provided by The Directorate of
Research and Community Service, Departemen
Pendidikan Nasional dan Kebudayaan, the
Republic of Indonesia, for this study. In addition,
we are grateful for the assistance of the
130 PSIKOLOGIKA Volume 28 Nomor 1 Januari 2023
Fuad Nashori, Hariz Enggar Wijaya, Raden Rachmy Diana
research assistants Yogi Kusprayogi,
Muhammad Muhajir (Yogyakarta), Dewi
Fitriana, and Nurul (Padang) and all those who
contributed to the successful completion of this
research. We also wish to express our
appreciation to the participants for their time
and willingness to complete the research scales.
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Received 8 December 2022
Revised 4 January 2023
Accepted 9 January 2023
