Final answer:
The question relates to how individuals make decisions and solve problems, involving psychological principles like heuristics, altruism, and cognitive skills, which are part of the Social Studies curriculum typically taught in Middle School.
Step-by-step explanation:
When pondering the provided options, they each involve a degree of decision-making and problem-solving which are skills often emphasized in Social Studies. Specifically, these options:
- a. use heuristics to solve complex problems - This suggests employing mental shortcuts or 'rules of thumb' which is a strategy often discussed in psychology, a field that can fall under the social studies umbrella.
- b. act altruistically to benefit others - Altruism is a concept studied in social psychology, sociology, and sometimes in history when looking at the causes and effects of social movements and individual actions.
- c. use cognitive skills to make decisions - This involves understanding how cognition works which is central to psychology.
- d. rely on rules of thumb to guide them - Similar to option a, it's about applying common sense practices or heuristics, which is again linked to psychological concepts.
The question appeals to the notion that individuals use cognitive skills to make decisions, potentially rely on rules of thumb or heuristics, and whether they might act altruistically in benefiting others, all of which are key psychological constructs that fit within the realm of social studies.