Final answer:
Kin terms are culturally specific words that designate relationships, while genealogical kin types refer to biological or marriage-based relationships universal across cultures. Anthropologists distinguish these to understand kinship as both culturally constructed and universally comparable.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between kin terms and genealogical kin types lies primarily in their scope of definition within anthropology. Kin terms refer to the specific words used either as a term of reference or a term of address that designate relationships and carry associated cultural responsibilities and privileges, for example, 'mother' or 'Mom.' In contrast, genealogical kin types are the specific biological or marriage-based relationships that exist regardless of cultural terminology, such as 'mother's brother' or 'maternal uncle.' An anthropologist makes this distinction because kin terms can vary widely across cultures, reflecting different social structures and values, whereas the genealogical kin types can be systematically compared across cultures to understand universal aspects of social organization. Anthropological studies like those of Lewis Henry Morgan focused on documenting the wide variability of kin terms among different cultures, while later works by W.H.R. Rivers and others introduced a more systematic approach using genealogical kin types to analyze and compare kinship patterns. This distinction aids anthropologists in understanding how kinship is both a sociocultural construction and also a component of human social systems that is subject to cross-cultural analysis.