Final answer:
Bilateral descent includes both maternal and paternal lineage in one's family identity, while unilateral descent, involving either matrilineal or patrilineal descent, traces ancestry through only one parent. These systems affect inheritance, familial roles, and social structures within a society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding one's lineage involves exploring both maternal and paternal ancestors. This concept of kinship is known as bilateral descent, which recognizes the family members from both the mother's and the father's sides. In contrast, unilateral descent focuses on tracing lineage through only one parent, either the mother (matrilineal) or the father (patrilineal).
Matrilineal descent attributes inheritance and familial connections to the mother's line, often observed in native societies such as the Crow and Cherokee tribes. Conversely, patrilineal descent traces inheritance and family ties through the father's line, influencing practices like surnames being passed down from father to son. Some societies, like those in Southeast Asia, use ambilineal descent, allowing for the choice of tracing through either parent based on various cultural or socio-economic factors.
Each descent system has unique implications for social structure, inheritance, and the determination of identity and clan affiliation. The choice of descent affects living arrangements and social status, especially under systems like patrilocal residence, which can impact the roles and autonomy of women within the society.