Final answer:
Ambilineal descent allows a choice in tracing lineage through either the mother's or father's side, with examples found in Southeast Asian societies and the Northern Gilbert Islands. U.S. practices are primarily bilateral but also exhibit patrilineal tendencies with surname inheritance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ambilineal descent is a system of lineage where the kinship is traced through one gendered line, offering the choice between the mother’s or father’s lineage. This form of descent can vary within the same society, where different families may choose different lines for tracing their ancestry. Two examples of ambilineal descent are:
In Southeast Asian countries, where parents might choose to associate their children with the kinship of either the mother or the father, often influenced by factors like the prestige of certain lineage or cultural customs.
The ambilineal descent groups in the Northern Gilbert Islands, as studied by Bernd Lambert, which display kinship structures where lineage can be traced through either the mother’s or father’s side based on the family’s decision.
Comparatively, most societies in the United States practice bilateral descent, tracing kinship through both parents’ lines. However, some aspects of the U.S. society follow patrilineal descent, as indicated by the common practice of children assuming their father’s last name.