Final answer:
The economic way of thinking assumes that individuals seek to maximize their utility and make decisions that approximate this behavior, even if not explicitly based on economic calculations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The economic way of thinking assumes that individuals seek their own satisfaction or utility, and that while they may not consciously calculate their marginal utilities before making decisions such as shopping or saving, they do tend to behave in a way that aligns with the concept of utility maximization. Although the economic model may seem abstract and not perfectly reflective of how people, firms, and societies make decisions, it is a useful approximation. As individuals gain more practice in making decisions, like weekly grocery shopping, they get better at finding the balance that maximizes their utility within their budget constraints, even if they do not explicitly think of it in economic terms. The portrayal of individuals as rational, self-interested utility maximizers can be contested; however, the economic approach to decision-making provides valuable insights and serves as a plausible first approximation for understanding human behavior.