Final answer:
The statement that cultures develop in a lock-step unilineal manner from simple to complex stages is false. Anthropological understanding now recognizes that cultures evolve through unique interactions and influences, not a single, predetermined path.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that cultures develop on a trajectory from simple to complex in a lock-step manner, moving through stages of bands, tribes, chiefdoms, to states, is known as unilineal cultural evolution. This concept, once prevalent in anthropology, has been largely discredited. Early theories by anthropologists such as Edward Tylor and Lewis Henry Morgan suggested a unilineal pathway from 'savagery' to 'civilization', influenced by technological advancements. However, critics like Franz Boas highlighted that each culture evolves through unique historical trajectories and constant interaction with other cultures, rather than a single, predetermined path. This perspective acknowledges the complex and diverse ways in which cultures change and adapt, influenced by a myriad of factors including trade, conquest, and diffusion of ideas.
Given this understanding, it is clear that the assumption of a lock-step unilineal progression is false. Cultures do not necessarily follow this linear path and so the student's statement can be identified as false. Instead, cultural development is widely recognized as multidimensional and influenced by a variety of historical, social, and environmental factors.