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Well-Being and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) on Digital Content in the Time of COVID-19: A Correlational Analysis among University Students

Author

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  • Ceren Hayran

    (Marketing Department, School of Business, Ozyegin University, Nişantepe Mah, Orman Sok., Çekmeköy, 34794 Istanbul, Turkey)

  • Lalin Anik

    (Marketing Area, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, 100 Darden Blvd, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA)

Abstract

The majority of research on the fear of missing out (FOMO) has focused on understanding how social media posts about attractive unattended experiences taking place in the physical world (e.g., a friend’s vacation) influence individuals’ affective states. With quarantine measures in place, and in the absence of travel and party photos on social media, do individuals feel they are missing out on enjoyable experiences? The current work shows that FOMO has not disappeared during the pandemic, even when socially distancing at home, but has been replaced by feelings towards new online activities (e.g., online concerts, virtual gatherings). As a consequence, we find that FOMO threatens well-being by causing important psychological and health issues, such as sleep deprivation, loss of focus, declined productivity, and finding relief in knowing that others have difficulty keeping up with abundant digital content. Importantly, we find these consequential effects both during the initial (May 2020) and late stages (December 2020) of the pandemic. With excessive Internet use and virtual FOMO likely to be a continuing reality of life, questions remain as to how one can refrain from its negative effects and stay healthy during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic era. We discuss remedies and suggest new research avenues that may help elevate the negative consequences of FOMO on well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Ceren Hayran & Lalin Anik, 2021. "Well-Being and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) on Digital Content in the Time of COVID-19: A Correlational Analysis among University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1974-:d:501391
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Chatzaga, Anastasia & Metaxas, Theodore, 2023. "Social Media and European Youth: A Combined Qualitative Analysis of Finland and Spain," MPRA Paper 122468, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Dariusz Masłowski & Ewa Kulińska & Gennadij Komada, 2022. "Impact of Alternative Forms of Transport on Urban Freight Congestion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-21, September.
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    5. Ziao Hu & Jun Li & Ling Pan & Xiaoying Zhang, 2022. "COVID-19 Lockdown Stress and the Mental Health of College Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Natalia Sauer & Agnieszka Sałek & Wojciech Szlasa & Tomasz Ciecieląg & Jakub Obara & Sara Gaweł & Dominik Marciniak & Katarzyna Karłowicz-Bodalska, 2022. "The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Well-Being of College Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-14, April.
    7. Hussain, Sajjad & Raza, Ali & Haider, Ali & Ishaq, Muhammad Ishtiaq & Talpur, Qurat-ul-ain, 2023. "Fear of missing out and compulsive buying behavior: The moderating role of mindfulness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

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