, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO)
1. Conceptualising Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) as a Psychological Experience
Introduction to the Construct of FoMO
The Fear of Missing Out, commonly referred to as FoMO, has emerged as a significant
psychological construct in contemporary research, particularly as digital technologies and social
media platforms have become ubiquitous features of daily life. FoMO is broadly defined as the
apprehensive feeling that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent
(Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan & Gladwell, 2013). This definition, originating from the
foundational work on FoMO, captures the essential features of the construct: a cognitive awareness
of others' activities, an affective component of fear or apprehension, and a comparative judgment
that those activities are more rewarding than one's own current experience. Unlike transient feelings
of envy or curiosity, FoMO represents a stable individual difference variable that predicts consistent
patterns of cognition, emotion, and behaviour across situations (Fioravanti, Casale, Benucci & Primi,
2020). The construct has gained considerable attention from researchers across psychology,
communication studies, and human-computer interaction, reflecting its relevance to understanding
how individuals navigate social environments that are increasingly mediated by digital technologies.
Commonalities Across Conceptualisations
Despite variations in how researchers have approached the study of FoMO, several common themes
run throughout the literature. Across theoretical frameworks, there is consensus that FoMO is
fundamentally a social psychological phenomenon rooted in humans' evolved need for belonging and
social connection (Lai, Altavilla, Ronconi & Aceto, 2016). Researchers consistently agree that
FoMO involves a discrepancy between one's actual social experiences and desired or perceived
social experiences of others. This discrepancy creates an aversive motivational state that drives
individuals to seek information about others' activities and to maintain constant connectivity.
Additionally, scholars concur that FoMO exists on a continuum, with individuals varying in their
baseline susceptibility to experiencing this fear across different contexts and relationships. A third
commonality concerns the role of social comparison processes; virtually all conceptualisations
acknowledge that FoMO requires individuals to compare their own circumstances unfavourably with
the perceived circumstances of others (Dogan, 2019). Finally, researchers consistently distinguish
FoMO from related constructs such as social anxiety, loneliness, and problematic social media use,
while simultaneously recognising that these constructs are empirically correlated. This discriminant
validity is essential for establishing FoMO as a unique psychological construct rather than a
redundant label for existing phenomena.
Differentiating the Dimensions of FoMO
An important development in the conceptualisation of FoMO concerns its multidimensional structure,
with researchers identifying distinct yet interrelated dimensions that characterise the experience.
Wolniewicz, Tiamiyu, Weeks and Elhai (2018) proposed that FoMO comprises two primary
dimensions: trait FoMO and state FoMO. Trait FoMO refers to a stable, dispositional tendency to
fear missing out across situations and over time, representing an individual difference variable that
predicts consistent patterns of behaviour. State FoMO, in contrast, refers to transient episodes of fear
and apprehension triggered by specific situational cues, such as viewing social media posts about an
event one cannot attend. What differentiates these dimensions is their temporal stability and
contextual specificity. Trait FoMO is relatively enduring and influences behaviour across diverse
settings, whereas state FoMO is situationally bound and dissipates once the triggering context
resolves.
THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO)
1. Conceptualising Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) as a Psychological Experience
Introduction to the Construct of FoMO
The Fear of Missing Out, commonly referred to as FoMO, has emerged as a significant
psychological construct in contemporary research, particularly as digital technologies and social
media platforms have become ubiquitous features of daily life. FoMO is broadly defined as the
apprehensive feeling that others might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent
(Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan & Gladwell, 2013). This definition, originating from the
foundational work on FoMO, captures the essential features of the construct: a cognitive awareness
of others' activities, an affective component of fear or apprehension, and a comparative judgment
that those activities are more rewarding than one's own current experience. Unlike transient feelings
of envy or curiosity, FoMO represents a stable individual difference variable that predicts consistent
patterns of cognition, emotion, and behaviour across situations (Fioravanti, Casale, Benucci & Primi,
2020). The construct has gained considerable attention from researchers across psychology,
communication studies, and human-computer interaction, reflecting its relevance to understanding
how individuals navigate social environments that are increasingly mediated by digital technologies.
Commonalities Across Conceptualisations
Despite variations in how researchers have approached the study of FoMO, several common themes
run throughout the literature. Across theoretical frameworks, there is consensus that FoMO is
fundamentally a social psychological phenomenon rooted in humans' evolved need for belonging and
social connection (Lai, Altavilla, Ronconi & Aceto, 2016). Researchers consistently agree that
FoMO involves a discrepancy between one's actual social experiences and desired or perceived
social experiences of others. This discrepancy creates an aversive motivational state that drives
individuals to seek information about others' activities and to maintain constant connectivity.
Additionally, scholars concur that FoMO exists on a continuum, with individuals varying in their
baseline susceptibility to experiencing this fear across different contexts and relationships. A third
commonality concerns the role of social comparison processes; virtually all conceptualisations
acknowledge that FoMO requires individuals to compare their own circumstances unfavourably with
the perceived circumstances of others (Dogan, 2019). Finally, researchers consistently distinguish
FoMO from related constructs such as social anxiety, loneliness, and problematic social media use,
while simultaneously recognising that these constructs are empirically correlated. This discriminant
validity is essential for establishing FoMO as a unique psychological construct rather than a
redundant label for existing phenomena.
Differentiating the Dimensions of FoMO
An important development in the conceptualisation of FoMO concerns its multidimensional structure,
with researchers identifying distinct yet interrelated dimensions that characterise the experience.
Wolniewicz, Tiamiyu, Weeks and Elhai (2018) proposed that FoMO comprises two primary
dimensions: trait FoMO and state FoMO. Trait FoMO refers to a stable, dispositional tendency to
fear missing out across situations and over time, representing an individual difference variable that
predicts consistent patterns of behaviour. State FoMO, in contrast, refers to transient episodes of fear
and apprehension triggered by specific situational cues, such as viewing social media posts about an
event one cannot attend. What differentiates these dimensions is their temporal stability and
contextual specificity. Trait FoMO is relatively enduring and influences behaviour across diverse
settings, whereas state FoMO is situationally bound and dissipates once the triggering context
resolves.
