Question 1

Which type of assisted reproductive technology involves collecting mature eggs from a woman's ovaries and fertilizing them in a laboratory?

Accepted Answer

In vitro fertilization (IVF) involves collecting mature eggs from a woman's ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory before transferring the resulting embryo(s) to the woman's uterus. Surrogate fertilization involves implanting an embryo into a surrogate's uterus, artificial insemination involves placing sperm into a woman's reproductive system, and "reproductive fertilization" is not a recognized term or technique.

Question 2

Cousins who are children of a father's brother or a mother's sister are considered which type of cousin?

Accepted Answer

Parallel cousins are the children of two brothers or two sisters. Cousins through a father's brother or a mother's sister are considered parallel cousins, reflecting the parallel nature of the siblings' relationship.

Question 3

The textbook opens by discussing the TV show Transparent, in which Maura comes out to her children and ex-partner as transgender. What two key anthropological questions about kinship and the family does this show highlight? Be sure to mention and explain at least one key term in your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The textbook opens by discussing the TV...

Question 4

The statement issued in 2004 by the American Anthropological Association noted that a "vast array of family types" all contributed to "stable and humane societies." Why did the organization issue this statement?

Accepted Answer

The statement affirms that there are many different types of families which are compatible with stable and humane societies, which is supportive of same-sex marriage. It does not mention heterosexual marriage, expanding research, or increasing economic support for families in poverty.

Question 5

You attend a friend's wedding. At one point, the father of the groom hands a set of new car keys to the bride. What would you, as an anthropologist, call this?

Accepted Answer

Bridewealth is a practice where the groom or his family provides goods, money, or in this case, valuable items like a car to the bride's family as part of the marriage arrangement. This contrasts with a dowry, which is provided by the bride's family to the groom or his family.

Question 6

Sara Dorow documents the process by which Chinese infants are adopted by white American parents who bring the children to live in a new country. Why are children from China attractive for parents looking to adopt?

Accepted Answer

The lack of birth records for babies put up for adoption in China makes it difficult to contact their birth parents, which can be appealing to adoptive parents seeking to avoid complications.

Question 7

All of us are born or adopted into a family. When we make a choice to leave this natal family and choose a mate in order to have children, what kind of family are we becoming part of?

Accepted Answer

A family of procreation is the family created by an individual when they choose a mate and have children. This is distinct from a family of orientation, which is the family into which an individual is born or adopted. A nuclear family is also a term used to describe the immediate family unit consisting of a mother, father, and their children. However, this answer is not as accurate as choice C, as it does not specifically address the act of choosing a mate to have children. A chosen family, while a valid concept, is not the best choice because it refers to a family unit created through intentional relationships and not necessarily through having children.

Question 8

Anthropologists argue that kinship is one of several ways in which individuals form groups. Name and describe three other ways in which humans form groups. Does kinship influence how these other groups are formed? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Anthropologists argue that kinship is one of...

Question 9

Which of the following is the practice of formalizing and legalizing a marriage through the exchange of gifts between the bride's family and the groom's family?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is the practice...

Question 10

Nation-states draw heavily on ideas of ________ in order to create a sense of connection among very different people found within their national borders.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Nation-states draw heavily on ideas of ________...

Question 11

Why did the number of international adoptees coming to the United States drop from 17,416 to 6,441 between 2008 and 2013?

Accepted Answer

Many countries established more restrictive adoption guidelines, making it more difficult for international adoption to take place. Additionally, some countries like Russia, Guatemala, and Vietnam, which had been major sources of international adoptions, closed their doors to American families.

Question 12

While the notion of a romantic marriage predominates thinking in the United States, what is another common reason for marriage prevalent in other countries?

Accepted Answer

In many cultures and societies, marriages are often arranged for strategic reasons such as creating alliances between families or securing financial stability. Romantic love may not be the primary motivation for marriage in these cases.

Question 13

One of the major shifts in marriage patterns, both in the United States and in many other countries, is the ability of same-sex partners to marry. Those who marry and also choose to have children will undoubtedly gain from what other recent change?

Accepted Answer

Same-sex partners who choose to have children may benefit from advancements in reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization or sperm donation, which have made it possible for same-sex couples to have biological children.

Question 14

The origins of the incest taboo are unclear, even after decades of careful study. One theory holds that the taboo is due to a fear of creating genetic defects in offspring. What is one argument against this theory?

Accepted Answer

Incest taboos existed long before the scientific understanding of genetics, indicating that the taboo's origins are not based on knowledge of genetic defects.

Question 15

In some cultures, including Chinese and Indian, there is a strong preference for male children. This preference has been most impacted by what particular development?

Accepted Answer

Reproductive technologies, such as ultrasound and sex-selective abortion, have enabled parents to determine and select the sex of their children, leading to a preference for male children in some cultures.

Question 16

Bridewealth is still prevalent in many African societies and frequently means that the groom's family gives cattle (and sometimes other goods) to the family of the bride-to-be. What is the goal of bridewealth?

Accepted Answer

Bridewealth aims to establish mutual, vested interest between the families involved in the marriage, which can stabilize the union. The exchange of goods creates a sense of obligation and commitment to the marriage, which can help avoid divorce or infidelity.

Question 17

Which country "sends" the most adoptees to the United States?

Accepted Answer

China has historically been the largest source of international adoptees to the United States, with thousands of children adopted annually at the peak of international adoption.

Question 18

Although many are close with the families into which they are born, others are marginalized or stigmatized in ways that create deep, lasting alienation between them and their birth families. What do many people alienated from their birth families seek to create?

Accepted Answer

Many people alienated from their birth families seek to create a chosen family. This refers to a group of people who are not related by blood or marriage, but who have formed close bonds and provide each other with emotional support, care, and love. The concept of chosen family is particularly important for members of marginalized communities, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, who may face rejection or hostility from their birth families. Chosen families can provide a sense of belonging and acceptance that may be missing in their lives.

Question 19

Susan Kahn found that Jewish women in Israel are deeply compelled to reproduce both the family and the nation. With the advent of reproductive technologies, this is made quite easy, and one might conclude that it is a matter of giving birth and raising the child. But this raises many very difficult questions. Many of the difficult questions hinge upon the kin system there, which is what type?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Susan Kahn found that Jewish women in...

Question 20

Dowries are an integral part of the marriage process in many countries, whether explicit or implicit. If deemed insufficient, the result might lead to what?

Accepted Answer

If a dowry is deemed insufficient, it can lead to bride burning - a form of violence in which a groom and/or his family members torture or kill the bride due to dissatisfaction with the dowry. This practice is illegal in many countries, but still occurs in some parts of the world.

Quiz 10: Kinship, Family, and Marriage