Which group had the most frequent contact as adults among siblings and step/half siblings?

• A. Native Americans, males, and those who live on the same reservation
• B. Greek-Orthodox, females, and those who live in close proximity
• C. African Americans, females, and those who live in close proximity
• D. African Americans, males, and those who write frequently

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that how often adult siblings and step/half siblings stay in touch is driven by how tight-knit a kin network is, along with gender roles and where people live. African American families are often described as maintaining strong extended-family ties, with women frequently taking the lead in keeping relatives connected. When relatives live in close proximity, those connections are even easier to sustain through regular visits, conversations, and shared daily life. So, being African American, female, and living near each other creates the strongest pattern of frequent contact among siblings and step/half siblings.

Other groupings mix factors that don’t consistently predict high contact as strongly. Proximity and the active maintenance of kin ties by women tend to drive contact more than other combinations, such as groupings defined by religion or a male gender, or by indirect signals like how often someone writes, which doesn’t directly measure face-to-face or regular contact.