Professor Crane was ecstatic when he learned that his research study had been approved for publication. His feelings of joy quickly dissipated, however, when he heard a colleague recently had three different research articles accepted for publication. His declining emotional satisfaction is best explained in terms of

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The declining emotional satisfaction experienced by Professor Crane is best explained by relative deprivation, which occurs when we feel worse off because we compare ourselves to those who are doing better. In this case, Professor Crane initially felt ecstatic about his research study being approved for publication, but his feelings changed when he heard about his colleague's success, making him feel relatively deprived.

Professor Crane Was Ecstatic When He Learned That His Research