Fear of missing out (FOMO) to the joy of missing out (JOMO): shifting dunes of problematic usage of the internet among social media users

Abstract

Purpose With the rapid improvement in digital infrastructure, the popularity of digital devices and smartphones in every pocket, the yearning to stay connected with others has increased manifold, especially in youngsters. This has raised multiple concerns primarily related to the problematic usage of the internet (PUI). The current research study aims to scrutinize the association between PUI, psychological and mental health (PMH), social media fatigue (SMF), fear of missing out (FOMO), desire to disconnect (DD) and its relation with a novel phenomenon of joy of missing out (JOMO). Design/methodology/approach The present research study embraces the empirical research method through quantitative analysis. The proposed theoretical model was empirically tested using primary data, collected through a self-designed structured questionnaire. The study sample included individuals between 16 and 39 years of age as these are the most active demographics on social media. The model is empirically tested with the help of structural equation modeling applied using software IBM AMOS 20.0 and SPSS 22.0. Initially, first-order confirmatory factor analysis was conducted, to measure and test the fit indices of the proposed model. Secondly, path analysis using structural equation modeling was carried out for the model. Findings Empirical synthesis of this research shows that PUI significantly and positively impacts mental and psychological health, FOMO and SMF. Also, SMF significantly and positively affects the DD which significantly and positively affects the JOMO. However, as depicted by the results of this study, FOMO have no considerable impact on SMF. Originality/value A study that connects the PUI with PMH, SMF and FOMO is rare to find. Second, this study uses data collected from social media users of India in the age group of 16–39 years. This slice of the population is most active in internet, and internet-enabled platform and are scantly studied, especially in the Indian context. This makes the study more exciting and crucial.

Shockwaves in consumer minds: The thunderous role of media in sculpting brand popularity

“…There are positive effects associated with FoMO behavior despite its association with negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and impulsivity. This finding supports the study of Rautela and Sharma (2022) and Zendle and Bowden-Jones (2019). One example is informationseeking behavior involving fresh products, services, or experiences.…”

“…The prevalence of FoMO, or the fear of missing out, has been intensified by increased social media usage and excessive sharing of personal information. This phenomenon is often described as an addiction to online networking (Rautela & Sharma, 2022;Zendle & Bowden-Jones, 2019). Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is frequently linked to maladaptive psychological functioning, such as heightened levels of anxiety (Argan & Argan, 2019).…”

Non‐sustainable buying behavior: How the fear of missing out drives purchase intentions in the fast fashion industry

“…This outcome aligns with prior research (see Kang et al, 2019) that has demonstrated excessive conformist consumption behavior where high FOMO enacts a strong tendency and willingness to conform to group behavior. Earlier research has examined the phenomenon of FOMO across various consumption scenarios (Çelik et al, 2019; Rautela & Sharma, 2022; Tandon et al, 2021), revealing that FOMO is likely to elicit greater and more intense following‐driven behavior (Gartner et al, 2022).…”

“…Despite the FOMO phenomenon having long‐standing recognition in popular media (Hodkinson, 2019), the psychological mechanisms underlying linkages to consumer purchasing behavior have only recently been researched (see a review of the current literature in Tandon et al, 2021). Empirical evidence suggests that FOMO, as an anticipatory emotion, can explain individual decision‐making and corresponding behavior, including heavy media use (Hunt et al, 2018), WhatsApp use (Blackwell et al, 2017; Rautela & Sharma, 2022; Sha et al, 2019), and online purchasing (Çelik et al, 2019; Good & Hyman, 2020; Van Solt, 2019). Most scholars, follow the conceptualization of Przybylski et al (2013), who described FOMO as the uneasy feeling that others might have better (i.e., more rewarding or beneficial) “experiences.”…”

Effects of Personality Traits Concerning Media Use Decisions on Fear of Missing Out and Social Media Use Behavior

“…Apaolaza et al [ 43 ] also confirmed that compulsive mobile SNS use induces stress. Rautela and Sharma [ 44 ] showed that compulsive use significantly and positively impacts mental and psychological health. Therefore, this study assumed that high compulsive use of social media is positively associated with a high technology overload and the technological intrusion of social media.…”