Fear of Missing Out: Testing the Relation with Predictor Variables Self-Esteem, Social Media Addiction, and Anxiety Amongst Gen Z

Abstract

Introduction: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the outcome variable, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), and specific personality traits such as low self-esteem, anxiety, and social media addiction. FOMO, which is characterized by the fear of being left out of social and learning experiences, has been increasingly linked to social media use, particularly among Gen Z, and various psychological factors. The goal of this study was to increase understanding of how these personality traits contribute to FOMO and lack of interest in sustainable learning practices.

Methods : The study was conducted online, utilizing Qualtrics to distribute a questionnaire. The questionnaire incorporated four scales: the Self-Esteem Scale (to measure self-esteem), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scale (to measure anxiety), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BASMA) (to assess social media addiction), and the FOMO Scale (to measure the outcome variable). A total of 65 participants, primarily from Gen Z, completed the survey, providing data on the personality traits and their relationship with FOMO.

Results : Analysis of the data indicated that two personality traits, social media addiction and low self-esteem, were significantly and positively correlated with FOMO. The p-values for these relationships were 0.37 and 0.28, respectively, indicating a moderate correlation between these predictors and the outcome variable. However, the trait of anxiety did not show a significant relationship with FOMO, with a p-value of 1.00, suggesting that anxiety may not be a critical factor in predicting FOMO.

Discussion : The findings suggest that individuals with higher levels of social media addiction and lower self-esteem are more likely to experience FOMO, particularly among Gen Z, who are heavy social media users. These results align with existing literature that highlights the role of social media in exacerbating feelings of exclusion and the association between low self-worth and FOMO. However, the lack of a significant correlation between anxiety and FOMO suggests that the theoretical model may have limitations in explaining the role of anxiety in FOMO. Future studies should explore other factors that may contribute to FOMO and refine the model to account for additional variables.