First Advisor
Andrew Terranova
Abstract
Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a relatively new concept, however researchers have found that FOMO and social media use cause negative aspects of well-being, such as depression, anxiety, stress (Alabi, 2013; Alavi, 2011) and lack of academic motivation (Jacobsen and Forste, 2011). When using a correlational design, the current study examined the associations between social media engagement and negative aspects of well-being, while also examining the mediating role of FOMO between these variables. Participants (198 college students, M = 19 years old, 86 percent female, 74 percent Caucasian) completed online surveys, where participants reported on their levels of social media engagement (Alt, 2015), FOMO (Przybylski, 2013), depression, anxiety, stress (Antony, 1998), and academic motivation (Lockwood, 2002). Findings indicated that FOMO was a significant mediator for the associations between social media engagement and anxiety and stress. However, FOMO did not seem to mediate the relationship between social media engagement and depression and academic motivation. These findings supported previous research claiming that social media use can have negative effects on well-being (Alabi, 2013; Alavi et al., 2011); however, experimental research is needed to better understand the causation of these negative effects.
Recommended Citation
McAndrew, Casey J.
(2018)
"Social Media and Negative Aspects of Well-Being: Does FOMO Play a Role?,"
Bridges: A Journal of Student Research: Vol. 12:
Iss.
12, Article 3.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/bridges/vol12/iss12/3