Adoption Among the Inuit

Abstract

Examined whether patterns of adoption among the Inuit in the North American Arctic are similar to those in Oceania and West Africa. The present author draws from a study of Inuit adoption conducted by L. Guemple (1979). Results show that patterns of adoption are similar and generally consistent with predictions derived from an evolutionary model. It is concluded that not all aspects of adoptive behaviors can be understood within the framework of the model outlined. Other models incorporating biological, cultural, historical, psychological, and ecological factors may ultimately prove valuable in explaining the variation in patterns of adoption in human societies.