Chapter 10 Nature Of The Group: Arranging Our Families And Organizing Our People

Chimpanzees and bonobos have a strong social and emotional bond between mothers and infants. This bond is essential for the survival and development of the offspring. Mothers provide care, protection, and nourishment to their infants, forming a close attachment. The mother-infant bond is crucial for the infant's socialization, learning, and overall well-being. It also helps in the transmission of cultural behaviors and knowledge from one generation to the next.

A "collection of bands" refers to a group of small, kin-based communities that come together to form a larger social unit known as a tribe. In a tribe, the individual bands maintain their autonomy and have informal relationships with each other. This allows for a sense of unity and cooperation among the bands while still retaining their distinct identities.

Ethnocentrism refers to the tendency of individuals to judge and evaluate other cultures based on the standards and values of their own culture. It involves believing that one's own culture is superior to others and using that as a basis for understanding and interpreting different cultural practices and beliefs. This perspective can lead to a lack of understanding and appreciation for cultural diversity, as well as the promotion of stereotypes and prejudices.

In a patrilineal society, descent is traced through the father's line. This means that family lineage, inheritance, and social status are determined by the father's side of the family. It does not necessarily imply that you live with your father but not your mother, that your father has more power than your mother, or that you have greater emotional feelings for your father. The focus is on the father's lineage being prioritized in terms of social and familial connections.

Polyandry is a marital system where a woman has multiple husbands. The statement that polyandry is found in less than 1 percent of the world's societies suggests that this form of marriage is relatively rare. It implies that the majority of societies practice monogamy or polygyny, where a man has multiple wives. This low percentage indicates that polyandry is not a common or widely accepted marital arrangement globally.

Approximately 25% of the world's societies are strictly monogamous. This means that in these societies, individuals form exclusive long-term partnerships with only one person at a time. The remaining 75% of societies may practice some form of polygamy or have different variations of marriage and relationship structures.

Polygyny is so common because it confers a reproductive as well as a labor force advantage for the family. Having multiple wives allows for a larger number of children to be produced, increasing the chances of passing on genes and ensuring the continuation of the family line. Additionally, having multiple wives means more hands to help with household chores and agricultural work, providing a labor force advantage for the family. This can lead to increased productivity and economic stability within the family unit.

In a bilateral society, descent is through both the mother's and father's lines. This means that individuals inherit traits and social status from both their mother and father. This system ensures that both sides of the family are recognized and valued, and it promotes equality between both sexes. It also allows for a more diverse and inclusive understanding of family and kinship. Unlike in patrilineal or matrilineal societies, where descent is traced through only one line, bilateral societies emphasize the importance of both maternal and paternal ancestry.

As societies grow larger and more complex, kinship ties become insufficient for social organization. In such cases, political organization takes over as the dominant system. Political organization involves the establishment of governing bodies, laws, and systems of authority to regulate and maintain order within the society. This system allows for the coordination and management of various social and economic activities, ensuring the smooth functioning of the society as a whole.

A band is a type of political organization that is characterized by small, flexible units with no formal leadership. Bands are typically small-scale societies consisting of a few families or kinship groups who live together and make decisions collectively. They have no centralized authority or formal leadership positions, and decisions are made through consensus or informal agreements. Bands are often found among hunter-gatherer societies and are characterized by their egalitarian nature and lack of hierarchy.

The Eskimo system of kinship terminology is associated with bilaterality. In this system, individuals distinguish between their mother's and father's side of the family, and there are separate terms for each. This system emphasizes the importance of both maternal and paternal relatives, and individuals are considered to be equally related to both sides of their family. This is in contrast to other systems, such as the Hawaiian system, where there is a strong emphasis on the maternal side of the family.

The United States and Canada have a state political organization. A state is a centralized political system where a government has the authority to make and enforce laws, maintain order, and provide public services. Both countries have a defined territory, a system of government, and institutions that exercise power and authority over their respective populations. The state political organization allows for the establishment of laws, policies, and governance structures that shape the societies and economies of the United States and Canada.

Horticultural societies that confront competition and warfare tend to be patrilineal because in patrilineal societies, descent and inheritance are traced through the male line. This means that property, resources, and power are passed down from fathers to their sons. In societies where competition and warfare are prevalent, having a patrilineal system helps to ensure the continuity of power and resources within a lineage, as well as providing a strong foundation for defense and protection against outside threats.

The Eskimo system of kinship terminology is typical of most Western cultures. In this system, there are separate terms for each type of relative, such as mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, etc. This system is commonly used in Western cultures because it emphasizes the nuclear family and the importance of individual relationships within the family unit. It is different from the Hawaiian, Omaha, and Crow systems, which have different naming conventions for relatives and may focus more on extended family relationships or lineage.

Polyandry tends to be found where land is scarce and property is inherited through men. In societies where land is limited and property is passed down through male lineage, having multiple husbands can help ensure that the land and property remain within the family. This practice is often seen in cultures where resources are scarce and it is necessary to consolidate wealth and resources among a smaller number of individuals.

Approximately 60 percent of societies are unilineal. This means that in these societies, descent and inheritance are traced through only one line, either the mother's or the father's. Unilineal societies are found in various cultures around the world and can have different kinship systems and social structures. This percentage indicates that a significant portion of societies follow this particular pattern of descent and inheritance.

Foraging societies and industrial societies usually practice a bilateral descent system. In foraging societies, where people rely on hunting and gathering for their subsistence, both the mother's and father's sides of the family are considered important for social and kinship ties. Similarly, in industrial societies, which are characterized by urbanization and a focus on industrial production, the bilateral descent system is also commonly observed, as it allows for flexibility in kinship ties and social relationships.

The subsistence pattern refers to the way a society obtains its food and resources. This can include hunting and gathering, agriculture, or industrial methods. There is a correlation between the descent system, which refers to how kinship and inheritance are traced, and the subsistence pattern. Different descent systems may be more suitable or advantageous for certain subsistence patterns. For example, a patrilineal descent system may be more common in societies that practice agriculture, while a matrilineal descent system may be more common in societies that rely on hunting and gathering. Therefore, the subsistence pattern is related to the descent system.

In matrilineal societies, descent and inheritance are traced through the female line. In this type of society, women often hold important positions and have considerable influence. Since women are the focus of the social structure and perform most of the farming labor in horticultural societies, it suggests that these societies tend to be matrilineal. This means that kinship and social relationships are primarily determined through the mother's side of the family.

Parallel cousins refer to the children of your father's brothers. This means that they are your cousins on your father's side of the family. The term "parallel" is used because they are in the same generation as you and are descended from your father's siblings. This is different from "cross cousins," who are the children of your mother's siblings. First cousins and second cousins refer to different degrees of cousin relationships, but they are not specifically tied to your father's brothers.

The Omaha terminology system is associated with patrilineality. This means that kinship and descent are traced through the male line, with a focus on the father's side of the family. In this system, children belong to the father's lineage and inherit property and social status from their fathers. This is in contrast to matrilineality, where descent is traced through the mother's line, and unilineality, where descent is traced through either the mother's or father's line. Bilaterality refers to a system where descent is traced through both the mother's and father's lines.

The Hutterites have a hierarchical structure with a central leader, known as a "boss" or "boss-man," who holds significant power and authority. This aligns with the characteristics of a chiefdom, where power is concentrated in the hands of a single leader or a small group of leaders. In a chiefdom, there is a clear social hierarchy and individuals are ranked based on their proximity to the leader. This is similar to the internal political organization of the Hutterites, making chiefdom the closest match among the given options.

In a kinship diagram, the term "EGO" refers to the person whose point of view the diagram represents. This means that the diagram is centered around EGO and shows their relationships with other individuals in the family.

In some baboons, the social center of the troop is made up of a group of related females. This means that the females within the troop are closely related to each other, such as being sisters or mothers and daughters. These related females form a cohesive unit within the troop and often have a significant influence on the social dynamics and decision-making within the group. They may work together to protect and care for their offspring, establish dominance hierarchies, and maintain social cohesion within the troop.

A political organization with many units and leaders for groups of units but no central authority is called a chiefdom. In a chiefdom, the leaders of each unit have some degree of autonomy but are still subordinate to a higher-ranking leader. This type of organization is characterized by a hierarchical structure and a centralized power structure, although it is not as centralized as a state.

Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has multiple wives. The statement suggests that polygyny is found in 75% of the world's societies. This means that in three-quarters of societies around the world, it is culturally accepted for men to have multiple wives. This highlights the prevalence of polygyny as a marital practice across different cultures and societies.

Polyandry, the practice of having multiple husbands, is rare because it confers no reproductive advantage. In terms of reproduction, having multiple husbands does not increase the chances of producing more offspring compared to having a single husband. In evolutionary terms, individuals are more likely to engage in behaviors that enhance their reproductive success. Therefore, polyandry is not favored as a common practice in societies.

Social organization in most societies is based on a kinship or kinship-like model. This means that people are organized and connected through their family ties, whether it be through blood relations or through social relationships that mimic kinship. Kinship systems determine social roles, responsibilities, and hierarchies within a society, and they play a crucial role in shaping social interactions, marriage patterns, and inheritance. This model provides a framework for individuals to understand their place in society and establishes the rules and norms that govern social behavior.

Parallel cousins are called by the same term as EGO's biological siblings because they all fall under the incest taboo. The incest taboo is a cultural rule that prohibits sexual relationships or marriage between certain relatives, including siblings and parallel cousins. This means that society considers these relationships to be taboo or socially unacceptable. Therefore, calling parallel cousins by the same term as biological siblings implies that they are subject to the same cultural prohibition against incest.

Cross cousins refer to the children of your mother's brothers. In cross-cousin marriage systems, individuals are encouraged to marry their cross cousins. This type of cousin relationship is common in certain cultures and can have social and economic implications. Cross cousins are considered to be a different generation from you and are often seen as potential marriage partners.

A unilineal system, where descent is traced through either the father's or mother's line, makes social organization based on kinship easier and more efficient. This is because it simplifies the process of determining kinship relationships and inheritance patterns. By following a single line of descent, it becomes easier to establish family relationships and identify one's position within the social structure. This streamlined approach allows for clear rules and expectations regarding kinship ties, which can contribute to a more organized and cohesive society.

Unilineal descent is a system found in most societies. This system traces descent through only one line, either the father's line (patrilineal) or the mother's line (matrilineal). Bilateral descent, on the other hand, traces descent through both the father's and mother's lines. Since the question is asking for the system found in most societies, the answer is unilineal.

The Hawaiian terminology system is known for its symmetry and small number of categories. This means that the system has a balanced and equal number of kinship terms for both sides of the family, such as having the same term for aunts and uncles on both the mother's and father's side. Additionally, the system uses a relatively small number of kinship categories compared to other systems, making it simpler and more streamlined.