Does Meeting Belongingness Needs Through Social Media Impact One's Fear of Missing Out and Self-Esteem?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how meeting belongingness needs through social media use may impact one’s fear of missing out (FoMO) and self-esteem. It was predicted that individuals with increased levels of FoMO would have higher levels of the need to belong. It was also predicted that individuals with lower levels of self-esteem would have higher levels of FoMO and the need to belong. A total of 592 participants (447 female, 137 male) in various psychology courses at a community college and a university participated in an online survey. Consistent with the hypothesis, increased FoMO is related to a higher level of need to belong. Additionally, lower levels of self-esteem are related to higher levels of FoMO and a higher level of the need to belong. Based on these findings, perhaps lower levels of self-esteem further exacerbate the positive feedback loop between one’s desire for belongingness and their FoMO when utilizing social media. As such, these results may caution college students from meeting their need for belongingness through social media usage, and more so, those with a lower level of self-esteem.