Final answer:
To determine ancestry using the VAULT, one examines kinship patterns (bilateral or unilateral descent), social stratification across generations, and the results of genetic ancestry testing, which influence personal identity and may encourage transnational movements.
Step-by-step explanation:
When determining ancestry based on the VAULT, we look at various factors such as kinship patterns, social stratification, and genetic ancestry testing. Kinship, which includes both blood relations and non-blood relations like marriage or adoption, plays a crucial role in understanding one's lineage. Most societies, particularly modernized nations, follow a pattern of bilateral descent, meaning both paternal and maternal ancestors are considered. In contrast, 40 percent of the world's societies practice unilateral descent, tracing kinship through one parent only.
Additionally, social standing and traits passed through generations are examined. Tracking changes in family social status over time provides insight into the upward or downward mobility and various social traits. As highlighted by Biological anthropologist Jada Benn Torres and cultural anthropologist Gabriel Torres Colón, genetic ancestry tests also contribute to individuals' perceptions of racial and cultural identity, influencing how they connect to their family history and potentially fostering transnational movements for social justice.