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Intimate Behaviour: A Zoologist's Classic Study of Human Intimacy Paperback – August 14, 1997

by Desmond Morris (Author)

4.4 61 ratings

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Twenty-five years after it first caused a splash in the scientific and literary worlds, Intimate Behavior is still one of the best chronicles of human intimacy. With a masterful and entertaining eye, Desmond Morris, bestselling author of The Naked Ape and The Human Zoo, analyzes the roots of
human intimacy, from the handshake through the twelve stages that people pass through on their way to the total sexual embrace. Morris contends that the months just before and after birth are when the seeds of intimacy are planted and are critical to development. From the loving attention of the
mother, the child learns and responds with intimate gestures of his or her own. He argues that human adults follow certain patterns of intimate behaviour that are based on these infant experiences for their entire lives. In addition to sexual intimacy, Morris discussed social intimacy, intimacy
substitutes, object intimacy, and self-intimacy. Complete with a new preface by the author, Intimate Behavior is a provocative view of humans need to touch and to be touched, to love and to be loved. At a crucial moment, a gentle embrace can still do more good than a thousand earnest discussions.
Despite all our social and technological advances, the primeval body language of love still remains the most potent force we have for the expression of feelings of comfort and caring. Desmond Morris, from his new Preface

Print length

272 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Kodansha Globe
Publication date

August 14, 1997
Dimensions

8.3 x 0.8 x 5.6 inches
ISBN-10

1568361637
ISBN-13

978-1568361635
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Morris helps us to take a new look at ourselves." -- Chicago Tribune

"[An] excellent accounts." -- Alex Comfort, author of THE JOY OF SEX

From the Author

"At a crucial moment, a gentle embrace can still do more good than a thousand earnest discussions. Despite all our social and technological advances, the primeval body language of love still remains the most potent force we have for the expression of feelings of comfort and caring."Desmond Morris, from his new Preface

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kodansha Globe; Reprint edition (August 14, 1997)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1568361637
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1568361635
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.3 x 0.8 x 5.6 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,986,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #8,061 in Interpersonal Relations (Books)
- #14,954 in Cultural Anthropology (Books)
- #16,948 in Behavioral Sciences (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 61 ratings

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About the author

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Desmond Morris

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Desmond Morris was born in 1928. Educated at Birmingham and Oxford universities, he became the Curator of Mammals at London Zoo in 1959, a post he held for eight years.

In 1967 he published The Naked Ape which has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and has changed the way we view our own species forever.

An accomplished artist, TV presenter, film maker and writer, Desmond Morris's books have been published in over thirty-six countries.

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As relevant as ever

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

I am currently re-reading all the Desmond Morris books that I read in my youth, when they were first published. They are all very insightful, and put human behaviour in a biological context. Of course, culture is also important, but ultimately biology always trumps culture.

The books are still very relevent, because (unlike culture) our human biology changes at a glacial pace.

Having said that, these books were written before the age of the internet, smart-phones, etc. So inevitably they seem a little dated in parts.

Regrettably (in my opinion), these new technologies have diminished intimate behaviour in many ways (although they have not changed intimate behaviour, so the books are still as relevant as they were 50 years ago). It's just that the Human Zoo has become even crazier.

For example, there was a time when restaurants were much noisier that they are today - couples and friends were not only dining but were engaged in animated conversation. Alas, these days they are much quieter; it is not uncommon to see a couple out for dinner hardly exchanging a word but both sitting with their smartphones in hand vociferously texting.

It is little wonder that we are so desperate to enjoy small initimacies . . . .

9 people found this helpful

A retro look at intimacy

Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2017

Verified Purchase

This is an interesting albeit dated book on the subject. The facts and references are a good 50 years old or more and though human nature has not changed significantly, the language and ways of interacting and communicating have altered a lot. The use of technology and it's effects evidently could not have been foreseen in the past.

Charles A. Bledsoe

Understand Sexual Attraction

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2009

Verified Purchase

An old book dealing with a contemporary, old problem. Morris gives easy to understand observations that each reader can relate to one moves through this book. Even though the book is old the information is timeless. People have not changed in their basic nature even though some want to think we are enlightened and better than those generations before us.

2 people found this helpful

massimo arnaudo

NEVER BUY THROUGH I-PARCEL

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2011

Verified Purchase

Sorry, my review is not about the book, but about i.parcel, the company that was supposed to send it to me
Never anymore, they probably lost my book and the service was really unpolite with me when i contacted them
AVOID

2 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2016

Verified Purchase

Love this tome, physically a nice size for traveling, both informationally dense and linguistically manageable.

Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2017

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More insights from a very important author

Fantasy with it all

Boring, Couldn't finish it...

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2015

Verified Purchase

First book i've read by Desmond Morris. Very basic principals that leave you with the 'no sh!t' factor. If you're looking for 'intimacy 101', this is great. Otherwise, not much in here to keep your interest unfortunately.

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2015

Verified Purchase

Great addition to any anthropology fan's library

Amazon Customer

Great Read but where did Sigmund Freud come from?

Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2001

Although the book dates back several decades, with only a short updated prologue, the subject ,human intimacy, does not lend itself to change as quickly as technology or medicine therefore the information and opinions are still valid today. Desmond Morris captivated me with his zoological perspective on human behavior, viewing us as we are, animals; but with social restrictions and norms that artificially restrain our natural urge for intimacy.
I found it a fascinating read but found the last few sections not in line with his zoology background but rather from a ridiculous psychoanalytic perspective. This perspective is not based on scientific fact or reason but formulated by Freud from unrecorded observations that he recounted by memory of case studies he had saw. Having Desmond Morris try and convince me that I indulge in the occassional cigar, which represents a "super nipple", as a substitute for intimacy that I recieved as a child made me crack up rather than stop and reflect on his brilliance. This type of opinion seems to me out of Zoology's domain.
I rather enjoyed the sections concerning parental, sexual, and social behaviour as they were told from a zoological perspective, while the later sections had the sour flavour of Sigmond Freud. I do recommend this book to anyone interested in the behavioural sciences particularly in the ways we touch and do not touch each other. So dont be scared to 'touch' this book and become 'intimate' with its pages as you will learn much from it.

15 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2000

If science is regarded as a dry and boring matter Dr. Morris' Intimate Behavior comes to prove it wrong. In this delightful book the scientist states that "man is a social animal and the ordinary healthy human being finds prolonged isolation a severe punishment.
According to Dr. Morris the very beginning of our lives is replete with intimacy in our contact with our mother. After a brief while our quest for independence launches us toward the unknown world. If this urge for independence and exploration is the base for the development of human society it also weights heavily on the individual that loses the so needed intimacy. During puberty when the young couples start to form the intimacy returns and with it there's usually a certain return to infancy. That's when young adults cuddle each other and call each other babies usually using high pitch voices.
Dr. Morris warns us about the crescent overcrowding found on the "Human Zoo", the modern megalopolis. The overcrowding creates a high level of stress that helps to separate people. This creates a positive feedback link: elevated stress level reduces intimate contact that in turn increases the stress.
This 19971 book although covering fast changing subjects like human behavior and human evolution is still surprisingly up to date. As in his other books Dr. Morris presents the topics based in precise scientific propositions backed by his observations, historical analysis and by the painstaking study of over 10,000 magazine and newspaper pictures.
This book is a must read for everyone interested in human behavior. You will be surprised to learn why do we do the things we do. Other fantastic books by Dr. Morris include the revolutionary "The naked Ape", the "Human Zoo" and the recent "The Human Animal" that accompanies the TV series and summarizes his work.

36 people found this helpful

Intimate Behavior

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2005

I also enjoy reading books by Desmond Morris. This book was very interesting and provided several unexpected insights into animal testing and into child rearing. It is easy to read but a little dry at times. I recommend it.

2 people found this helpful

Anthrology view of Us

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2008

I like the writings of Desmond Morris because he takes the discipline of a scientist and applies it to looking at us. He is as objective with this lens as he would be looking at other mammals. This approach cuts through some of a subjective opinions and cherished ideas about who we are and how we function. Yet at the same time, he is honoring of what we are and points to things that can help us relate to each other more healthily and more naturally. This book is no exception. My favorite of his is PEOPLE WATCHING which seems to summarize much of what he says in other books and also shows a lot with pictures.

One person found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2007

I am new to Morris' general work but I am thourougly impressed. So far I have read this book and The Naked Ape.

This book lags in certain parts, but he consistently gives detailed attention to all aspects of human intimacy - the sections Sexual Intimacy, alone (at least) are worth reading as he couragously attends to a very difficult subject of love and sex in very practical ways. His thinking on this front is well stated and offers doorways for the thinking man to manifest new ways forward for the sepcies.

Another universal classic by Desmond Morris !

Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2005

Dr. Morris has written another marvelous book that clearly elucidates the intimate behavior of the human animal. It is delightful, interesting and informative.

It is definitely a book worth reading.......

4 people found this helpful

Calvin D Thomas

I read this book as a teenager..wanted it back in my possession

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2022

Verified Purchase

Great book on human behavior!

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