Final answer:
Anthropologists have categorized kinship systems into six different patterns based on terms for a group of relatives.
Step-by-step explanation:
Anthropologists have identified six different patterns of kinship systems based on terms for a group of relatives. These patterns are lineal kinship, bifurcate merging kinship, generational kinship, descriptive kinship, classificatory kinship, and bifurcate collateral kinship. Lineal kinship focuses on the direct line of descent, while bifurcate merging kinship combines the mother's and father's side of the family. Generational kinship distinguishes between generations, while descriptive kinship uses specific terms for each relative. Classificatory kinship groups diverse relationships under a single term, and bifurcate collateral kinship differentiates between relatives on the mother's side and the father's side.