Lineal Descent Kinship Focus

The question describes Kani tracing her family tree by including only direct ancestors (parents, grandparents) and direct descendants (children). She explicitly excludes relatives like siblings and cousins, who are considered collateral kin.

Kin Types Explained

• Lineal Descent: This type of kinship focuses exclusively on the direct line of descent, either forwards (ancestors) or backwards (descendants). Kani's selection of parents, grandparents, and children fits this definition perfectly, as she is tracing her direct lineage.
• Unilateral Descent: This involves tracing lineage through only one parent's side (either male or female line). Kani's inclusion of both parents and grandparents indicates she is not limited to one side.
• Double Descent: This system recognizes kinship through both parents but often assigns different social positions or inheritance rights based on each line. Kani's focus is simpler, concentrating only on the direct line itself.
• Affinal Descent: This refers to kinship ties formed through marriage (e.g., in-laws), not through direct bloodline descent. Kani is focused solely on blood relatives.

Therefore, Kani's focus on parents, grandparents, and children, while excluding siblings and cousins, represents lineal descent in kinship terminology.