Final answer:
The statement that the Hawaiian kinship system is commonly used by most North Americans and Europeans is false. The generational kinship system used in Hawaiian societies differs significantly from the kinship systems typically found in North American and European societies, which are often lineal, bifurcate merging, or ambilineal in nature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that the Hawaiian kinship system is commonly used by most North Americans and Europeans is false. The Hawaiian or generational kinship system, which is characterized by its simplicity and only distinguishes relatives based on gender and generation, was prevalent in Polynesia, particularly during chiefdom societies. This system has significant sociopolitical impacts within a society due to the extensive and powerful family ties.
In contrast, kinship systems in North American and European societies are more likely to be lineal, bifurcate merging, or ambilineal, and these systems are quite different from the generational system. As an example, in some Native American societies such as the Cherokee, kinship is matrilineal, meaning descent and family ties are traced through women. Furthermore, in many Southeast Asian societies, ambilineal kinship systems allow for a choice between matrilineal or patrilineal descent. Thus, kinship systems vary widely around the world and are adapted to meet the social and cultural needs of different societies.