Final answer:
Travelers have the ability to make rational, computed decisions, but often rely on heuristics in familiar settings, behaving in an approximately rational manner.
Step-by-step explanation:
While travelers have the capability to make computed decisions, they do not always choose to operate entirely rationally. Traditional economic models suggest that individuals make decisions based on utility measurements and costs at the margin.
However, individuals often use heuristics, or mental shortcuts, to make decisions more efficiently, especially in familiar situations. This process is largely unconscious and automated, as noted by Kahneman (2013), and can lead to behavior that approximates rationality without being strictly so.
This is because rational thinking requires a conscious effort which people may not engage in unless faced with new or challenging situations, such as navigating an unfamiliar city. In routine scenarios, like driving home on a well-known path, people may rely on these heuristics.
Therefore, while travelers can make computed and rational decisions, there is a case that they often behave in a way that is approximately rational but not strictly so in the economic sense.