Abstract
The author argues that the mental constructions called theories are simply the natural expression of adaptive cognitive processes. That is, they are part of those normal mental processes that enable us to adjust more effectively to the world in which we find ourselves, in the same way as physical attributes such as superior bodily strength and better camouflage or mental attributes such as a fast and reliable recognition memory. He illustrates this adaptive role of theory by showing how a particular theoretical formulation can help integrate diverse areas of knowledge in the domain of accident prevention and generate new interventions to make for safer roadway use.