Social Influence

The Only Thing We Have Left to Fear is the Fear of Missing Out: Understanding the Antecedents and Consequences of FoMO

In today’s digital world, individuals are more aware of the experiences they missed out on. As such, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), a type of anxiety which pertains to the concern one is absent from an enjoyable experience, has emerged as a widely studied topic in the empirical literature. The aim of this Collection is to add to the growing body of literature on FoMO and to provide empirical understandings of this construct with a specific goal of identifying antecedents and consequences of this construct.

Studying FoMO is important as FoMO is considered an antecedent to numerous forms of technology use including smartphones and social media. By understanding why individuals experience FoMO, it is possible to determine why individuals use these technologies as frequently as they do. Additionally, FoMO has often been studied through the perspective of Self-Determination Theory; specifically, the psychological need of relatedness (e.g., the need to feel cared for, connected to others, and that one belongs within a particular group) has received much attention in the FoMO literature, and research has suggested that FoMO is related to how socially excluded an individual feels. By understanding why individuals experience FoMO, risk factors for experiencing FoMO, and the mechanisms that may amplify FoMO, it is plausible that FoMO interventions may be developed which increase feelings of inclusion. Moreover, understanding the consequences of FoMO is an underrepresented area in the empirical literature. By outlining causal impacts of FoMO on human behavior, it is possible to further enhance the knowledge of this construct.

This Article Collection invites submissions that advance the science of FoMO. The Collection will consider papers with either digital or non-digital contexts. Both provide important considerations that are worth investigating to ultimately improve individual well-being. Accepted articles will be full-length research articles and brief reports that use experimental frameworks.

Please contact Dr. MK Huffman at mary.huffman@taylorandfrancis.com with any queries about discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.

Dr. Alex J. Holte is an experimental social psychologist who studies the Fear of Missing Out and problematic technology use. He teaches undergraduate psychology courses at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, including social psychology, lifespan development, research methods, and intimate relationships. Dr. Holte enjoys uploading social psychology videos to his YouTube channel "SocialPsychologyNow" in an effort to make psychology accessible to all.

The Guest Advisor declares no conflict of interest regarding this work.