Which of the following is a characteristic of hunter-gatherer groups?

Hunter-gatherer groups are typically characterized by their mobility and subsistence strategies that rely on the collection of wild plants and hunting of animals. These societies usually do not accumulate surplus food, as they move based on the availability of resources, making permanent settlements uncommon for them.

The exchange of emotions and gifts among members of hunter-gatherer groups plays an important role in maintaining social bonds and reinforcing community ties. This practice reflects their social structures and helps ensure cooperation and mutual support within small, kin-based groups. Such exchanges, often accompanied by rituals, serve both practical and social functions, strengthening relationships and enhancing group cohesion.

The other options suggest characteristics more prevalent in agricultural or more complex societies. For instance, permanent settlements and storage of surplus food become prominent in societies that shift to agriculture, leading to a surplus of resources, which hunter-gatherers do not rely on. Ritualistic land ownership is also a concept tied to settled agricultural societies, where land can be owned, managed, and passed down, which contrasts sharply with the communal and fluid land usage in hunter-gatherer societies.