Question

Which one of the following does NOT describe or characterize unilineal descent systems?

A. They are more frequently found than bilateral descent systems among the diverse societies of the world.
B. They provide distinct, nonoverlapping, groupings of people that can perpetuate themselves over time.
C. They consist of a group of four sets of great grandparents and their descendants.
D. They admit new members by virtue of their birth.

Answer 1

Option C does not describe unilineal descent systems, as they only trace ancestry through a single gender line, not from all sets of great grandparents.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question concerns unilineal descent systems, which trace an individual's kinship through a single gendered line. This is opposed to bilateral descent systems, where kinship is traced through both the mother's and father's ancestry. The option that does NOT describe unilineal descent systems is C. They consist of a group of four sets of great grandparents and their descendants, because unilineal systems only trace ancestry through one side of the family, rather than including all ancestors and their descendants in the lineage.