broadly, kinship patterns may be considered to include people related by both descent – i.e. social relations during development – and by marriage. human kinship relations through marriage are commonly called "affinity" in contrast to the relationships that arise in one's group of origin, which may be called one's descent group. in some cultures, kinship relationships may be considered to extend out to people an individual has economic or political relationships with, or other forms of social connections. within a culture, some descent groups may be considered to lead back to gods or animal ancestors (totems). this may be conceived of on a more or less literal basis.