Question 1

Kinship in industrial societies becomes less important as new structures and organizations take over the primary functions of kinship groupings.

Accepted Answer

In industrial societies, kinship may become less important in terms of providing basic needs and support, as individuals turn to other structures such as corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations for resources and assistance. However, kinship may still play a significant role in providing emotional support, cultural identity, and social connections.

Question 2

The two major types of families found throughout the world are the extended family and the nuclear family.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. The extended family consists of multiple generations living together or close by, while the nuclear family only includes parents and their children living together. These two types of families have different structures and cultural significance in various parts of the world.

Question 3

Rules of endogamy in Hawaiian chiefdoms actually resulted in sibling marriages.

Accepted Answer

In Hawaiian chiefdoms, a strict endogamous system was followed that required the marriage to take place within the same rank or class. This resulted in sibling marriages to maintain power and control within the same rank or class.

Question 4

The dominance of males over females was common in many chiefdom societies.

Accepted Answer

Many chiefdom societies were based on a hierarchical social structure where males held greater power and authority than females. This was often justified through beliefs in male superiority or divine right.

Question 5

Iroquois tribal society was organized around matrilineal descent groups, the members of which lived together in a longhouse, had collective rights over land and tools, and were influential in decision-making processes.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true.

Question 6

Since social class in the United States is an achieved status, factors such as family background, the economy, and ethnic background do not have any influence on social mobility.

Accepted Answer

Family background, the economy, and ethnic background can indeed have a significant impact on an individual's ability to achieve upward social mobility. These factors may impact educational opportunities, job prospects, and access to resources necessary for building wealth and social status. While achieving a high social class may be possible through meritocracy and hard work, factors outside of an individual's control can still play a role in determining their social status.

Question 7

Chiefdoms are hierarchically ranked societies.

Accepted Answer

Chiefdoms are societies that have a centralized leadership or authority (usually a chief) and a hierarchy of social classes based on that authority. This means that they are hierarchically ranked societies.

Question 8

A major factor leading to the diminishing importance of the extended family in industrial societies was the high rate of geographic mobility.

Accepted Answer

When people move away from their extended family in search of employment or opportunities, it becomes difficult for the extended family to play a significant role in their lives. This leads to a diminishing importance of the extended family in industrial societies.

Question 9

A cross-cousin is the offspring of one's father's sister or one's mother's brother.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. A cross-cousin is a type of cousin that is related through one's father's sister or one's mother's brother. This is in contrast to a parallel cousin, who is related through one's father's brother or one's mother's sister.

Question 10

Since statuses are fixed in industrial states, individuals in these societies are unable to move into different social classes from the one in which they were born.

Accepted Answer

While social mobility may be more difficult in industrial states than in other types of societies, it is still possible for individuals to move into different social classes through education, career advancement, and other means. Therefore, the statement that individuals in industrial states are unable to move into different social classes from the one in which they were born is false.

Question 11

Cross-cultural research has shown that societies engaged in external warfare (warfare at long distances from home) develop matrilocal residence rules.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Matrilocal residence rules refer to the practice of a married couple living with or near the wife's family. Research has found that societies engaged in external warfare tend to practice matrilocal residence, as it allows for the women and children to remain near their own family while the men are away at war.

Question 12

Because of both the strict marriage rules and postmarital residence rules found in hunter-gatherer societies, it is very difficult to obtain a divorce.

Accepted Answer

Hunter-gatherer societies often have more flexible marriage and postmarital residence rules, making it easier to dissolve a marriage compared to some agricultural or industrial societies with stricter regulations.

Question 13

In agricultural states, marriages among the elite were usually exogamous, while those among the peasantry were usually endogamous in nature.

Accepted Answer

In agricultural states, marriages among the elite were often endogamous to keep wealth, power, and land within the family or social group, while those among the peasantry could be more exogamous due to less concern over preserving wealth and status.

Question 14

If a tribal society has norms that prescribe cross-cousin or parallel-cousin marriage and an individual does not have a cousin in the particular category, that individual must remain single for the rest of his or her life since no mates fit the norm.

Accepted Answer

While cross-cousin and parallel-cousin marriage may be prescribed within certain tribal societies, it does not necessarily mean that an individual must remain single if they do not have a cousin in that category. Other options may still be available, such as marrying someone from a different tribe or community.

Question 15

Small-scale societies tend to have more social stratification than large-scale societies because there are fewer people to occupy the statuses and play the roles.

Accepted Answer

Small-scale societies usually have less social stratification compared to large-scale societies due to the limited availability of resources and technology. In small societies, people often work together to meet their basic needs, and there are fewer distinct roles or positions of power. In contrast, large societies typically have more complex economies and political systems, which can lead to greater social stratification based on wealth, occupation, and social status.

Question 16

Polygyny was rare in chiefdom societies because it diluted the power of a single ruling lineage.

Accepted Answer

Polygyny was often practiced in chiefdom societies as it helped to consolidate power and alliances through multiple marriages, thereby strengthening the ruling lineage rather than diluting it.

Question 17

Brideservice occurs when an eligible woman offers her domestic services to her future or potential husband's family in exchange for allowing her to marry their son.

Accepted Answer

Brideservice actually occurs when an eligible man offers his labor or services to his future or potential wife's family in exchange for the privilege to marry their daughter.

Question 18

Polygyny appears to be an ecologically and economically adaptive strategy for many tribal societies.

Accepted Answer

Polygyny, which refers to a practice where a man has multiple wives, has been observed in many tribal societies around the world. It is often seen as an ecologically and economically adaptive strategy because it allows men to have more children with different women, which can increase the chances of their genes being passed on to the next generation. Additionally, in societies where resources are scarce, having multiple wives can help a man increase his access to land, labor, and other resources, thus improving his chances of survival and success. However, polygyny is not without its drawbacks, and its impact on gender equality and social cohesion can vary widely depending on the specific cultural context.

Question 19

Most cultures with matrilineal social organizations are found in matriarchal states where females have political and economic power.

Accepted Answer

Matrilineal social organizations refer to the practice of tracing descent through the mother's line, while matriarchy refers to a social and political system where women hold the predominant power. While some societies may have matrilineal systems, it does not necessarily mean that women have more political and economic power than men. In fact, most societies with matrilineal social organizations tend to have patrilineal systems of inheritance and authority. Therefore, it is not true that most cultures with matrilineal social organizations are found in matriarchal states where females have political and economic power.

Question 20

Age is a universal principle used in prescribing social status within a sociocultural system.

Accepted Answer

Age is a widely used factor in determining social hierarchy within a given society or culture, and is often closely linked to concepts such as maturity, wisdom, and experience.

Quiz 10: Social Structure, The Family, Gender, and Age