Final answer:
No, cultures do not recognize descent in the same way. There are unilateral descent types like patrilineal, matrilineal, and ambilineal, as well as bilateral descent where kinship is traced through both parents.
Step-by-step explanation:
Do all cultures recognize descent in the same way? The answer is No. Different societies have various ways of tracing descent and family lineage. There are three main types of unilateral descent: patrilineal, which traces descent through the father's line; matrilineal, which traces descent through the mother's line; and ambilineal, which allows a choice between tracing descent through either the father's or mother's line, depending on the situation. This contrasts with bilateral descent, where kinship is traced through both parents, which is common in places like the United States. An example includes most children in the U.S. taking their father's surname despite the mother retaining her birth name, reflecting some aspects of patrilineal descent. However, in some societies, there is a practice of cognatic descent, where kinship is traced through both men and women.