Final answer:
Malik's equal satisfaction from earning and winning $50 aligns with behavioral economics, which accounts for emotional responses to financial situations, contrasting starkly with traditional economics that expects rational neutrality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Malik's thought process can be explained using behavioral economics. This approach studies the effects of psychological, cognitive, emotional, cultural, and social factors on the economic decisions of individuals and institutions. Traditional economics would contend that Malik should feel neutral about gaining $50 after working and winning another $50, having doubled his money. However, behavioral economics delves into how individuals actually feel in such scenarios. It includes concepts such as loss aversion, a principle identified by behavioral economists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, which describes how losses affect us more deeply than equivalent gains. This can lead to reactions in scenarios such as investing, where people may overreact to losses compared to gains.