Test your knowledge with 20 MCQs on Kinship and Clan System: Meaning, Types, Totemism, and Taboos
Test your knowledge with 20 multiple-choice questions on kinship and clan systems, covering definitions, types, lineage, totemism, taboos, and kinship terminology. Each question includes an answer and explanation!
1. What is kinship in sociology?
A) A legal contract between two individuals
B) A system of social relationships based on blood, marriage, or adoption
C) A temporary association of individuals
D) A political organization
Answer: B
Explanation: Kinship refers to a network of relationships formed through blood, marriage, or adoption, shaping social roles and interactions.
2. Which of the following is NOT a type of kinship?
A) Consanguineous kinship
B) Affinal kinship
C) Social kinship
D) Political kinship
Answer: D
Explanation: Political kinship is not a recognized form of kinship. The three main types of kinship are consanguineous (blood relations), affinal (marriage relations), and social kinship (adopted or fictive ties).
3. A clan is defined as:
A) A nuclear family unit
B) A group of people united by actual or perceived common ancestry
C) A political party
D) A temporary gathering of individuals
Answer: B
Explanation: A clan consists of individuals who claim descent from a common ancestor, which can be real or mythical.
4. Which type of kinship is established through marriage?
A) Consanguineous kinship
B) Affinal kinship
C) Descent kinship
D) Totemic kinship
Answer: B
Explanation: Affinal kinship refers to relationships formed through marriage, such as those between in-laws.
5. What is lineage in the kinship system?
A) A direct line of descent from an ancestor
B) A random group of people
C) A system of political alliances
D) A group of friends
Answer: A
Explanation: Lineage refers to the direct line of descent from a common ancestor, which can be patrilineal (father's side) or matrilineal (mother's side).
6. In a patrilineal society, descent and inheritance are traced through:
A) The mother’s lineage
B) Both parents equally
C) The father’s lineage
D) Adoption only
Answer: C
Explanation: In a patrilineal society, inheritance, lineage, and family name are traced through the male line.
7. What is the primary characteristic of a matrilineal society?
A) Wealth is inherited through the male lineage
B) Descent and inheritance are traced through the mother's side
C) Only women hold leadership positions
D) Families have no fixed lineage
Answer: B
Explanation: In matrilineal societies, inheritance and descent are traced through the mother's lineage rather than the father's.
8. Totemism refers to:
A) A system of economic exchange
B) The belief in a spiritual connection between a group and a natural object or animal
C) A type of kinship marriage
D) A legal document defining family roles
Answer: B
Explanation: Totemism is the belief that a clan or kin group has a symbolic relationship with a natural object, such as an animal, which serves as their emblem.
9. What is an example of a taboo in kinship systems?
A) Eating certain foods during festivals
B) Marrying within the same clan
C) Participating in religious ceremonies
D) Naming a newborn after an ancestor
Answer: B
Explanation: Many kinship systems have taboos against marrying within the same clan to prevent inbreeding and maintain social structures.
10. What is a moiety in kinship systems?
A) A type of marriage
B) A division of society into two groups based on descent
C) A temporary social gathering
D) A religious practice
Answer: B
Explanation: A moiety divides society into two distinct groups that regulate marriage, social obligations, and kinship ties.
11. What is the main function of kinship terminology?
A) To establish legal contracts
B) To define relationships between individuals in a society
C) To eliminate social hierarchies
D) To create economic trade networks
Answer: B
Explanation: Kinship terminology helps define relationships within a family or clan, guiding interactions and social expectations.
12. Which of the following is an example of a bilateral descent system?
A) Only the mother’s lineage is recognized
B) Only the father’s lineage is recognized
C) Descent is traced through both the mother’s and father’s sides
D) No descent system is followed
Answer: C
Explanation: In a bilateral descent system, lineage is traced through both parents, which is common in modern Western societies.
13. Which term refers to marriage within the same kinship group?
A) Exogamy
B) Endogamy
C) Totemism
D) Patrilineal descent
Answer: B
Explanation: Endogamy is the practice of marrying within one’s kinship group, caste, or social class.
14. Which of the following is an example of exogamy?
A) Marrying a cousin
B) Marrying within the same clan
C) Marrying outside one's kinship group
D) Marrying within one's own religion
Answer: C
Explanation: Exogamy is the practice of marrying outside one’s kinship or social group, often to strengthen alliances between different groups.
15. The Eskimo kinship system is commonly found in:
A) Traditional African societies
B) Modern Western societies
C) Ancient tribal communities
D) Hindu joint families
Answer: B
Explanation: The Eskimo kinship system, which distinguishes between the nuclear family and extended relatives, is commonly used in Western societies.
16. The Omaha kinship system is associated with which type of descent?
A) Patrilineal descent
B) Matrilineal descent
C) Bilateral descent
D) No descent system
Answer: A
Explanation: The Omaha kinship system is typically found in patrilineal societies where lineage is traced through the male line.
17. What is the Crow kinship system primarily based on?
A) Bilateral descent
B) Matrilineal descent
C) Patrilineal descent
D) Totemic descent
Answer: B
Explanation: The Crow kinship system follows matrilineal descent, meaning lineage and inheritance are traced through the mother’s side.
18. Which type of kinship refers to relatives by blood?
A) Affinal kinship
B) Consanguineous kinship
C) Social kinship
D) Adoptive kinship
Answer: B
Explanation: Consanguineous kinship refers to relationships based on blood ties, such as those between siblings and parents.
19. Which term describes a kinship system where the mother’s brother plays an important role in a child’s upbringing?
A) Patrilocal residence
B) Avunculate
C) Bilateral descent
D) Kinship taboo
Answer: B
Explanation: Avunculate refers to a system where a maternal uncle has significant influence in the upbringing of his sister’s children.
20. What is a common feature of clan-based societies?
A) Nuclear families
B) Political centralization
C) Totemism and shared ancestry
D) Absence of kinship roles
Answer: C
Explanation: Clan-based societies often share totemic symbols and claim descent from a common ancestor, shaping their identity and social structure.
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