Exploring the Relationship Between Parental Control, Fear of Missing Out and Perceived Autonomy among Female Students

ABSTRACTThe human need to belong is an innate drive that dictates much of our behavior. Informed by The Belongingness Hypothesis and Information Foraging Theory, the present study examines the relationship between FoMO and well-being. Study 1 (107 college students) investigates the relationship between FoMO, social media intensity and social connection. Results find that FoMO is positively associated with social media intensity, but negatively associated with social connection. The mediation tests, interestingly, reveal more positive results regarding FoMO. Specifically, FoMO has a positive indirect effect on social connection through social media intensity, suggesting that FoMO may, in some cases, be a good thing leading to enhanced social connection. Study 2 (458 college students) finds that FoMO impacts subjective well-being both directly (negatively) and indirectly (positively) through its impact on social media intensity and social connection. Results of the two studies reveal a nuanced model of FoMO and its relationships with social media intensity, connection, and well-being. FoMO can have a positive impact on well-being if it leads to social media use that fosters social connection. Study limitations and future research directions are discussed.

The family plays an immensely crucial role in the development of adolescents, significantly influencing their behavioral patterns. To explore the impact mechanism of the parental mediation (active mediation, restrictive mediation, and parental monitoring) on adolescents’ smartphone addiction, and analyze the chain-mediating role of basic psychological needs and fear of missing out (FoMO). Parental Mediation Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale and Fear of Missing Out Scale were administered to 5,841 adolescents. The sample comprised 2,772 boys (47.46%) and 3,069 girls (52.54%) with an age range of 11.5 to 15.3 years (M = 13.35, SD = 1.29). The results indicated that active mediation could negatively predict adolescents’ smartphone addiction, whereas restrictive mediation and parental monitoring could positively predict adolescents’ smartphone addiction; and after controlling for sex and age, basic psychological needs had a separate mediating effect on parental mediation and smartphone addiction. Moreover, this study observed a chained mediating effect between basic psychological needs and FoMO on the relationship between parental mediation and smartphone addiction. Meanwhile, FoMO did not have a mediating effect on the relationship between parental mediation and smartphone addiction. Based on social cognitive theory and self-determination theory, this study innovatively integrates parental mediation, adolescents’ basic psychological needs, fear of missing out, and smartphone addiction into a coherent model. More importantly, it separately examines the effects of active mediation, restrictive mediation, and parental monitoring within the same group of participants, allowing for a cross-comparison of the three types of parental mediation in the study. This provides a theoretical reference for reducing adolescents’ smartphone addiction.

The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) phenomenon on the formation and negotiation of student identities at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Universitas Tanjungpura (Untan) Pontianak. This research aims to examine how FOMO influences students' cultural identity representation in cross-cultural digital interactions, specifically in social media platforms. Additionally, it seeks to explore the extent to which social media strengthens or weakens students' awareness of their own and others' cultural identities, and to identify the role of digital peer pressure in shaping students' self-presentation behaviors. Lastly, the study will investigate the communication strategies employed by FISIP Untan students to manage FOMO pressures while preserving their authentic cultural identities in intercultural digital spaces. This study adopts a descriptive qualitative approach using a multicultural case study method. The participants include students from diverse ethnic backgrounds within FISIP Untan Pontianak. Data were analyzed thematically and triangulated for validity. Based on this framework, the study identifies three key research questions: (1) How does the experience of FOMO influence the formation and negotiation of student identity in cross-cultural digital interactions? (2) To what extent does social media strengthen or weaken students’ awareness of their own and others’ cultural identities in the context of FOMO? (3) What role does digital peer pressure play in shaping cross-cultural students’ self-representation behavior in the FOMO era?The findings reveal three major conclusions: First, FOMO significantly affects the formation and negotiation of student identity within intercultural digital spaces. Second, social media plays a dual role - both reinforcing and undermining students' cultural identity awareness. Third, digital peer pressure serves as a central force shaping students' self-representation in intercultural contexts during the FOMO era. Overall, FOMO and digital peer pressure generate a complex space where cross-cultural students dynamically negotiate their identities. Social media thus becomes both a platform and a challenge in balancing the pursuit of social recognition with the preservation of authentic cultural identity. Key insights include: (1) FOMO as a trigger for cultural identity negotiation; (2) cultural identity becoming increasingly performative in digital spaces; (3) digital peer pressure weakening attachment to local culture; (4) social media as a site of cultural negotiation rather than mere expression; and (5) students demonstrating adaptability, yet in need of critical intercultural awareness.

Background: The fear of missing out (FoMO) on social media refers to the apprehension that online content and interactions from others are unseen and reacted to in a timely fashion. FoMO can become problematic, leading to anxiety, interrupted sleep, lack of concentration and dependence on social media to generate gratification. The literature has mainly focused on understanding the FoMO experience, factors contributing to it and its consequences. Method: In this paper, we build on previous research and develop a FoMO Reduction (FoMO-R) approach that embraces technical elements such as autoreply, filtering, status, education on how FoMO occurs and skills on how to deal with it; e.g., self-talk and checklists. We evaluate the method through focus groups and a diary study involving 30 participants who self-declared to experience FoMO regularly. Results: The results show that the method was accepted by the participants and helped them to manage their FoMO. They also show that a set of extra functionalities in social media design is needed so that users can manage FoMO more effectively. Conclusion: FoMO can be reduced through socio-technical approaches, joining both social and technical skills, and literacy on how social media are designed and how social interactions should happen on them.

FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is a new concept in the study of individual behavior that can influence their decisions in terms of the economy. FOMO is also a study material that is widely mentioned in the financial media today. FOMO has an influential social component to post-decision regret, especially when individuals realize other choices are better made than uncertainty. This study aims to analyze the implications of FOMO in economic activity, especially for consumer behavior and market dynamics. This research uses the SLR (Systematic Literature Review) method in Scopus articles in 2020-2024 with the presentation of analysis through the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) model. Based on the results of predefined inclusion criteria, there are a total of 10 published articles in the last 5 years that analyze in detail about FOMO. These findings show that FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) has a relationship and influence on economic activity in terms of consumer decisions in purchasing investment, fashion products, cosmetics and luxury goods, as well as the use of technology. In addition, based on the results of SLR literature analysis using Watase Uake shows that there are grand theories related to FOMO variables, namely self-determination theory, social determination theory, and attachment theory. FOMO is a variable of economic psychology that exists in individuals at every age. The findings of this study can be a variable of social capital in further research on wise behavior, economics, and individual psychology.

Aim/Purpose: The main objective of this study is to explore the relationships among social media experience processes, peer influence, and fear of missing out (FoMO), as well as their impact on adolescent students’ choice of participation in academic activities. Background: The increasing digitization of the world has consolidated social media as a dominant means of communication in the modern era. Adolescents are heavily engaged with smartphones and social platforms, resulting in substantial exposure to their influences. This exposure leads to a rise in sharing academic achievements and experiences on social media platforms. This trend has transformed academic success into a symbol of admiration, affecting how young individuals perceive their educational activities. During adolescence, a phase characterized by heightened vulnerability and intense social connections, young people become more susceptible to phenomena such as peer influence and FoMO. Social media, serving as a platform to showcase experiences and achievements, plays a pivotal role in shaping peer norms that subsequently impact peer influence and FoMO. Given the significant interplay between social media, peer influence, and FoMO, there is a need to explore whether social media experiences can predict academic-related peer influence and FoMO, as well as understand their interrelationships. This exploration is essential for understanding the cumulative impact of these factors on students’ academic pursuits. These insights hold the potential to guide the effective management of the potentially excessive effects of social media, thus promoting a more balanced and productive student life when confronting contemporary challenges. Methodology: The study employed a quantitative approach, using 5-point Likert scales to collect data via an online survey. The questionnaire was designed based on the theoretical framework regarding transformations of peer experiences in social media contexts developed by Nesi and co-researchers, which mainly interpreted the characterization of social media and how its features could amplify or alter the formation of Peer Influence and FoMO. The data from 419 valid responses from secondary and high school students in Vietnam were analyzed using reliability tests, factor analysis methods, and structural equation modeling (SEM) methods. Contribution: This research is meaningful in raising awareness of researchers, students, teachers, and parents about the vigorous impacts of social media on students’ academic activities and serves as the foundation for further research on regulation methods to secure healthy social media use and academic development. Findings: It was found that social media was characterized by two latent variables: Online Peer Norms and Novel Peer Experiences. The results showed that both factors were strong predictors of peer influence, while for FoMO, only the variable of Online Peer Norms was a significant predictor. FoMO was found to mediate the impact of social media experience on peer influence. Finally, peer influence relatively affected students’ participation in academic activities, while FoMO did not. Recommendations for Practitioners: The results suggested that social media can be a means to encourage positive academic participation and, thus, can be utilized in spreading educational programs and promoting academic motivation. At the same time, measures to counteract academic pressure should also take social media into consideration. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can utilize the framework of this study to investigate other adolescent media-related mental and behavioral phenomena as well. In addition, researchers should build a clearer understanding of FoMO’s interactions with academic matters. Impact on Society: Social media can either be a great assistance or a huge risk to the development of future generations of society. It is capable of spurring mental and behavioral changes that can radically impact youths’ growth on their educational paths. Future Research: The relationship between peer influence and FoMO should be delved into from more diverse dimensions. Future research should encompass peer influence and social media’s involvement in academic self-concepts and well-being.

Loneliness is a growing concern among doctoral students, yet limited research has examined digital-age stressors as potential risk factors. Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) may heighten loneliness by fostering constant social comparison and online vigilance, which reduce authentic social engagement and amplify feelings of exclusion. While FoMO has been linked to emotional distress in younger student groups, its psychological and social mechanisms in doctoral education remain underexplored. This study examines whether Sense of Coherence (SoC) and Social Connectedness (SC), two protective factors against loneliness, mediate the FoMO–loneliness relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 626 doctoral students (51.4% male, 48.6% female; mean age = 28.6 years, SD = 3.2) from public and private universities in Putian, China. Participants completed validated self-report measures of FoMO, SoC, SC, and loneliness. Data were analyzed using correlation and parallel mediation analysis via PROCESS Macro (Model 4), controlling for age and gender. The results indicated that FoMO was positively associated with loneliness and negatively associated with both SoC and SC. Both SoC and SC significantly predicted lower loneliness. Parallel mediation analysis confirmed significant indirect effects of FoMO on loneliness through both mediators, with the path through SC being slightly stronger. All scales demonstrated strong internal consistency, and model fit indices supported construct validity. The findings suggested that loneliness among doctoral students is shaped not only by external digital influences such as FoMO but also by internal psychological resources and social integration. To address loneliness in doctoral education, targeted interventions should aim to reduce FoMO-related stress, strengthen students’ SoC, and foster meaningful peer relationships within academic environments. Doctoral training programs should consider embedding structured peer support, resilience-building activities, and digital wellness education as part of broader efforts to support student well-being.

Internet addiction and Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) are now global and increasingly worrying phenomena, especially among teenagers. Rural teenagers also have the potential to suffer from internet addiction and FoMO. Individuals suffering from internet addiction are associated with FoMO behavior. This study aims to identify the level of internet addiction and FoMO among secondary school students in rural areas. In addition, the study is also intended to examine the relationship between internet addiction and FoMO among students. This quantitative study involved 145 students who were 16 years old, consisting of 57 male students and 88 female students from five rural secondary schools in the State of Selangor. Data were collected through the Malay Version Internet Addiction Test (MVIAT) and Fear of Missing Out Scale (FoMOS) instruments to measure the level of internet addiction and FoMO, and distributed online through a Google Form. Descriptive and inferential analysis were conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The results of the study showed that rural secondary schools experienced a mild level of internet addiction, which is 54.4%, while the level of FoMO showed that the respondents were at a moderate level, which is 53.1%. The Pearson correlation test results showed a significant positive relationship between internet addiction and FoMO among rural secondary school students which is (r=0.342, p<0.01). The implications of this study are important in helping stakeholders such as policymakers, governments, and professional experts plan and provide appropriate and effective interventions to treat teenagers who suffer internet addiction and FoMO.

This research examined how perceived parental control can affect Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in university students, while also considering the role of social media addiction as a mediator. The study was conducted using 320 university students from which data was collected employing standardized reliable scales for Perceived Parental Control, Social Media Addiction, and FoMO. Correlational and regression analyses showed significant positive relationships for all the three variables. The mediation analysis confirmed that social media addiction partially mediates the relationship between perceived parental control and FoMO, implying that controlling parenting styles can increase the resilience toward FoMO in excessive social media use. The suggested mediation effect again emphasizes parenting dynamics and digital behavior for youth's psychological outcomes and sets the need for awareness programs and preventive interventions targeting the family environment and media consumption habits.

Fear of missing out (FoMO) is a common phenomenon, especially among social media users, in which people feel anxious about missing out on rewarding experiences with others. FoMO is often associated with heightened vigilance toward digital devices. The unique features of social media platforms like Snapchat can intensify feelings of FoMO. Using Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework, this study aims to deepen our understanding of psychological factors such as self-esteem, social comparison, and life satisfaction as predictors of FoMO. The sample included 183 Snapchat users who completed an online survey. Regression analysis revealed that self-esteem and life satisfaction (SWL) were negatively associated with FoMO, whereas social comparison was positively associated. Initially, self-esteem appeared unrelated to Snapchat use, but later research found that FoMO masked this relationship. These findings offer valuable insights into the factors leading to FoMO-related distress. The study also highlights psychological variables that can act as barriers to common social media stressors, such as FoMO. These results can be applied to digital well-being campaigns and online mental health resources.

The present study examined how fear of missing out (FoMO) relates to psychological well-being in a collectivist context through a sequential moderated mediation framework. Grounded in self-determination theory, the study assessed whether FoMO related to well-being indirectly via problematic social media use (PSMU) and digital burnout (emotional exhaustion), and whether free time management (FTM; goal-setting and evaluation) moderated these associations. Cross-sectional data were collected from 570 sports science undergraduates in Türkiye. Results indicated that (i) FoMO was positively associated with PSMU, (ii) PSMU was positively associated with digital burnout, and (iii) digital burnout was negatively associated with well-being. This resulted in a sequential indirect association from FoMO to well-being via PSMU and digital burnout. Results also indicated that FoMO was indirectly associated with lower psychological well-being via higher PSMU and digital burnout. However, when these indirect associations were accounted for, FoMO showed a small positive direct association with well-being, a suppressor-like pattern consistent with socially oriented motivation in collectivist settings. FTM moderated several paths, buffering some associations while strengthening others, indicating conditional indirect associations. These findings nuance deficit-only views of FoMO and its socially-oriented aspects within collectivist settings and suggest that integrating digital literacy with time-management training may further support student well-being.

The proliferation of social media platforms has provided researchers with ample opportunities to explore the implications of these platforms' positive and negative use. Focusing on the latter, the literature has highlighted the severe implications of the fear of missing out (FoMO) and its associations with negative aspects of social media use, such as the problematic use of social media, phubbing, and reduced well-being. Our study investigates the association between FoMO and social media fatigue, which is mediated by information and communication overload, online subjective well-being (OSWB), and compulsive social media use (compulsive use). The proposed model is grounded strongly in self-determination theory (SDT), the theory of compensatory Internet use (TCIU), and the limited-capacity model of motivated mediated message processing (LC4MP). We tested the model using two independent cross-sectional data sets collected from Instagram and Snapchat users. Our findings, which align with TCIU, suggest that FoMO is positively associated with information overload and compulsive use for both Instagram and Snapchat users. For Snapchat users, FoMO is also positively associated with communication overload and OSWB. The overuse aspect associated with TCIU is explained in the strong positive associations between FoMO and compulsive use among both Instagram and Snapchat users. In addition, OSWB, information overload, and compulsive use are positively associated with social media fatigue for users of both platforms. In contrast, communication overload significantly predicts social media fatigue for Snapchat users only.

This study investigated the psychological mechanism through which Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) influenced consumers’ preferential hunting behavior on two leading e-commerce platforms in Vietnam: Shopee and Lazada. Drawing on an integrated theoretical framework combining FoMO theory, self-determination theory, scarcity theory, social influence theory, and perceived value theory, the research examined how FoMO affected deal-seeking intentions and behaviors through multiple pathways. A structural equation model was developed and tested using data collected from Vietnamese e-commerce users through an online survey. The analysis revealed that FoMO significantly influenced perceived scarcity, perceived benefits, and consumer sentiment, which subsequently shaped deal-seeking intention and actual preferential hunting behavior. The model demonstrated substantial explanatory power for both deal-seeking intention and preferential hunting behavior. Additionally, social influence and online shopping experience were confirmed as significant moderators, with social influence amplifying FoMO’s effects on perceptions and experience, strengthening the intention-behavior relationship. The findings advanced theoretical understanding of FoMO in commercial contexts and provided actionable insights for designing psychologically attuned promotional strategies in emerging e-commerce markets.

The problematic use of (or addiction to) Internet, and especially of virtual social networks (VSN), has given rise to the behavior’s study such as “cyberloafing” (the loss of work’s time due to using Internet features such as VSN), and of emotions such as FoMO (Fear of Missing Out), which could be understood as indicators of a technological addiction. In a research on technological addictions, the objective was to analyze the relationship of problematic use of VSN with FoMO and cyberloafing, in users of information and communication technologies (ICT), of both sexes, from 25 to 65 years old, in Cordoba-Argentina. Data was collected with different local instruments, including 468 participants, with an average age of 42.18, (s.d. = 16.35) and users of at least one VSN. The range of use is 1 to 6 VSN (M = 3.10, D.E. = 2.09), with Whatsapp being the most used network (98.4%). 67.0% use their mobile phone to have permanent access to VSN. The average daily hours of use, self-reported, is 6.9 hours (D.E. = 6.93). 13.6% of the sample studied presented a pathological level of VSN use (dependence), and 27.1% made occasional use; 28.9% make abusive and / or pathological uses of ICT in general, and 8.9% depend on technology. Respect to FoMO, 27.5% have a moderate level and 17.6% have a severe level. 100% have some degree of cyberloafing, being moderate in 47.5% of cases and severe in 17.8%. The correlations between VSN addiction and the FoMO and cyberloafing variables are statistically significant, moderate and direct, although the indexes are modified when a specific VSN is analyzed, with Facebook being the one that produces the highest correlation for FoMO, and Twitter for the behavior of cyberloafing. This could be associated with the age range studied. The results allow us to affirm that the assumption of similarity in the addictive potential of all VSNs is incorrect, so it is important to study addiction that combines personal traits with network characteristics, and perform multivariate analyzes of FoMO and cyberloafing with 162 variables as satisfaction with life and work, school or work performance, need for physical contact, social connectivity and subjective well-being, among others. It is concluded that technological addictions can also occur in adults of different ages, with the negative consequences that it entails.

The increase in the use of social media is an interesting phenomenon, especially for young adults. This phenomenon triggers various studies on the impact and motives of using social media. This research specifically aims to examine more deeply the phenomenon of Instagram use and the fear of loss (FoMO) in young adults. The study was conducted using a quantitative approach with an online survey method on 350 young adults (M = 20.51, SD = 1.96). The online survey consists of research information and consent forms to participate in the study; three research measuring tools (FoMO, Passive Instagram Use, and Instagram Motive); and participant demographic data. Information about this research is disseminated through Instagram Story uploads and by snowball. Statistical analysis was performed using JASP 0.14.1 (JASP Team, 2020) and IBM AMOS 21. The results of the analysis showed a good model fit and that motivation and passive use of Instagram were positively and significantly associated with FoMO with varying strengths. It was discovered that the motivation for using Instagram – dating, making new friends, academic, social connection, entertainment, self-expression, and information – did not play a significant role in FoMO, but the motivation for following and monitoring others and social recognition did. The sort of social media activity a person engages in is less essential than the type of content exposed on Instagram. Another research finding is that the relationship between motivation to use Instagram and FoMO is not mediated by passive use of Instagram.