Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.

Overview

 
Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
  Mother and children
  inPapua NewGuinea


Kinship

Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
refers to the culturally defined relationships between individuals who are commonly thought of as having family ties.   All societies use kinship as a basis for forming social groups and for classifying people.  However, there is a great amount of variability in kinship rules and patterns around the world.  In order to understand social interaction, attitudes, and motivations in most societies, it is essential to know how their kinship systems function.

In many societies, kinship is the most important social organizing principle along with gender

Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
and age.   Kinship also provides a means for transmitting status and property from generation to generation.  It is not a mere coincidence that inheritance rights usually are based on the closeness of kinship links.

 
Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
 
North American family   

Kinship connections are in turn based on two categories of bonds: those created by marriage and those that result from descent

Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
, which is socially recognized links between ancestors and descendants.

Your husband or wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law are all kinsmen related to you through marriage.  They have an affinity

Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
bond with you and are your affines
Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
or affinal relatives. In contrast, people who have socially recognized biological links to you, such as your mother, father, grandparents, children, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, and cousins, are your consanguines
Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
or consanguinal relatives.  They have a consanguinity
Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
relationship with you.

 

Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.

 Masai Elder with  his children in
 Kenya

The word "consanguinity" comes from Latin roots meaning "with the blood."  It is a term that came into use during earlier times in Europe when it was commonly thought that blood is passed between parents and children during conception and that this is how they receive their genetic characteristics.  This is not true, despite that fact that we still talk about "blood relatives."  The actual genetic material that we inherit consists of microscopic DNA molecules within sperm and ova.  These contain the genes that determine what we are like genetically.

Occasionally, a third category of bond, referred to as fictive kinship

Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
, is used to create links to people who otherwise would not be kinsmen.  This can be an expedient for dealing with irregular circumstances or even a mere social courtesy.  Godparenthood and the adoption of children are examples of fictive relationships in European cultures.  Godparenting has been particularly important in Latin America where friends voluntarily create lasting ties of shared responsibility for their children--they become respected compadres
Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
(co-fathers) or comadres 
Kinship is culturally learned and is not totally determined by biological or marital ties.
(co-mothers).

It is important to remember that people often use different kin terms when addressing someone directly in contrast to when they are referring to them in a conversation with someone else.  In North America today, for instance, it is common for people to call their mother "mom" when talking to her but to use the more formal "mother" when talking about her.  In this case, "mom" is a term of address and "mother" is a term of reference.


This page was last updated on Tuesday, June 27, 2006.
Copyright � 1997-2006 by Dennis O'Neil. All rights reserved.
Illustration credits

Are biology and marriage the only basis for kinship?

There are two basic kinds of kinship ties: Those based on blood that trace descent. Those based on marriage, adoption, or other connections.

Is biology the only basis for kinship?

Biology relies on genetics, but kinship is determined by culture. One interesting and very familiar example of the sociocultural dimension of kinship is the practice of adoption, through which those who have no necessary genetic relationship to one another are considered both legally and culturally to be family.

What is a kinship principle?

kinship- principle of organizing individuals into social groups, roles, and categories based on parentage and marriage.

What is the relation between marriage and kinship?

When two people marry, they become kin to one another. The marriage bond connects together a wider range of people too. Parents, sisters, brothers & other blood relatives become relatives of the partner through marriage. Basically, family relationships have kinship groups.