Everything we do has an inborn, genetic basis, and all our activities show similarities to those of other species. Man is unique, though, in the way in which he has built on these animal patterns, exaggerating and elaborating them to an astounding degree or suppressing them with damaging consequences. Morris sets out to show that, despite our inclination to believe otherwise, human behaviour is full of animal instinct and reaction, and that whatever the species, we all share remarkable similarities.