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

A) a happiness set point.
B) relative deprivation.
C) the experience of flow.
D) the adaptation-level phenomenon.

Relative Deprivation

A sense of dissatisfaction or resentment that arises from the belief that one is worse off compared to others in a similar situation or compared to societal norms.

Happiness Set Point

The theory suggesting individuals have a baseline level of happiness which, despite changes or life events, tends to return to its original level.

Adaptation-Level

A theory suggesting that people adapt to new stimuli and events, eventually perceiving them as normal and using this new norm as a baseline for future judgments.