Professor Crane was ecstatic when he learned that his research study was approved for publication. However, his joyful feelings quickly dissipated when he heard that his colleague recently had three different research articles approved for publication. Professor Crane's declining emotional satisfaction is best explained by the relative principle.

Relative deprivation

Explanation:

Relative deprivation theory was proposed by sociologist Robert K. Merton. There were four conditions required for the definitions of relative deprivation.According to this theory, a person has not anything.People were known by others who have something Every person has something in their life.Every person thinks that they have reasonable chances to have something.Professor Crane's declining emotions were explained by relative deprivation theory.