HRPYC81 PRO2 ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO): A LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Conceptualising FoMO as a Psychological Experience
The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is defined as the apprehension that others might be
having rewarding experiences from which one is absent, accompanied by a desire to
stay continually connected to what others are doing (Przybylski et al., 2013, p. 1841).
Although social media platforms e.g., Instagram, TikTok) amplify FoMO by providing
constant streams of social information, the construct is not reducible to technology use;
rather, it reflects a fundamental psychological state related to belonging, self‑worth, and
social comparison.
Early conceptualisations treated FoMO as a unidimensional trait, measured by the
widely used 10‑item Fear of Missing Out Scale (Przybylski et al., 2013). More recent
research distinguishes between trait FoMO (a stable individual difference) and state
FoMO (a temporary feeling triggered by situational cues, such as seeing friends’ posts).
Additionally, some authors differentiate general FoMO (concern about missing out on
social events and experiences) from specific FoMOs (e.g., academic or work‑related
FoMO), though the core mechanism fear of social exclusion and loss of rewarding
opportunities remains consistent.
, A commonality across definitions is that FoMO arises from unmet psychological needs,
particularly the need to belong and the need for autonomy and competence (Przybylski
et al., 2013). The experience involves both cognitive components (preoccupation with
others’ activities) and affective components (anxiety, envy, dissatisfaction). A workable
definition for this review is: FoMO is the distress caused by the perception that one is
missing out on positive social experiences, leading to compulsive checking of social
media and a diminished sense of well‑being.
2. Psychological Factors That Influence the Experience of FoMO
Several psychosocial factors have been identified as antecedents or correlates that
increase susceptibility to FoMO. Four such factors are particularly salient.
Need to belong, the fundamental human motivation to form and maintain positive
interpersonal relationships strongly influences FoMO. When individuals have a high
need to belong but perceive that their belongingness is fragile or incomplete, they
become hypervigilant to social cues and are more likely to experience FoMO (Lai et al.,
2016). Laboratory studies show that priming social exclusion increases FoMO scores,
even without social media exposure.
Feelings of not mattering (anti‑mattering) directly predict FoMO. People who feel
invisible, unimportant, or irrelevant to others are more sensitive to signs that they are
being left out (Ding et al., 2025). The fear of not mattering is conceptually distinct from
loneliness; it specifically captures the concern that one’s presence is inconsequential,
which fuels the urge to monitor others’ activities to ascertain one’s own standing.
THE FEAR OF MISSING OUT (FOMO): A LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Conceptualising FoMO as a Psychological Experience
The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is defined as the apprehension that others might be
having rewarding experiences from which one is absent, accompanied by a desire to
stay continually connected to what others are doing (Przybylski et al., 2013, p. 1841).
Although social media platforms e.g., Instagram, TikTok) amplify FoMO by providing
constant streams of social information, the construct is not reducible to technology use;
rather, it reflects a fundamental psychological state related to belonging, self‑worth, and
social comparison.
Early conceptualisations treated FoMO as a unidimensional trait, measured by the
widely used 10‑item Fear of Missing Out Scale (Przybylski et al., 2013). More recent
research distinguishes between trait FoMO (a stable individual difference) and state
FoMO (a temporary feeling triggered by situational cues, such as seeing friends’ posts).
Additionally, some authors differentiate general FoMO (concern about missing out on
social events and experiences) from specific FoMOs (e.g., academic or work‑related
FoMO), though the core mechanism fear of social exclusion and loss of rewarding
opportunities remains consistent.
, A commonality across definitions is that FoMO arises from unmet psychological needs,
particularly the need to belong and the need for autonomy and competence (Przybylski
et al., 2013). The experience involves both cognitive components (preoccupation with
others’ activities) and affective components (anxiety, envy, dissatisfaction). A workable
definition for this review is: FoMO is the distress caused by the perception that one is
missing out on positive social experiences, leading to compulsive checking of social
media and a diminished sense of well‑being.
2. Psychological Factors That Influence the Experience of FoMO
Several psychosocial factors have been identified as antecedents or correlates that
increase susceptibility to FoMO. Four such factors are particularly salient.
Need to belong, the fundamental human motivation to form and maintain positive
interpersonal relationships strongly influences FoMO. When individuals have a high
need to belong but perceive that their belongingness is fragile or incomplete, they
become hypervigilant to social cues and are more likely to experience FoMO (Lai et al.,
2016). Laboratory studies show that priming social exclusion increases FoMO scores,
even without social media exposure.
Feelings of not mattering (anti‑mattering) directly predict FoMO. People who feel
invisible, unimportant, or irrelevant to others are more sensitive to signs that they are
being left out (Ding et al., 2025). The fear of not mattering is conceptually distinct from
loneliness; it specifically captures the concern that one’s presence is inconsequential,
which fuels the urge to monitor others’ activities to ascertain one’s own standing.
