ABSTRACT
Jean Piaget began his career as a zoologist, studying the behaviour of molluscs and, especially, the ways in which these creatures adapt to their different environments. In his studies of the behaviour of molluscs Piaget had become interested in the ways in which they adapted to their environment. His theory of thinking takes a cue from biology in that adaptation is accepted as a principle which holds for both biology and psychology. The continuity between biological and intellectual functioning is provided for in Piaget's system by the proposition that intellectual functioning is also characterized by the processes of assimilation and accommodation. The concept of structure refers to the fact that elements are interrelated and organized. This notion is implicit in the description of adaptation as involving two interlocking systems, for to talk of a system is to signify that there are lawful relationships which characterize and, indeed, constitute the system.
