Fear of missing out (FoMO) among social media users: a systematic literature review, synthesis and framework for future research

“One of these concerns has been labeled ‘fear of missing out’ (FoMO), describing apprehensions that one is not in the know or missing out on information, events, experiences, or life decisions that could make one’s life more fulfilling (Przybylski et al., 2013; Tandon et al., 2021).”

“This phenomenon has been further expanded by Tandon et al. (2021), who emphasise its multidimensional nature, linking it to antecedents such as unmet psychological needs, social comparison tendencies, and technological immersion, as well as outcomes such as compulsive use, impulsive consumption,…”

“Instead of replacing traditional evaluation criteria, TikTok exposure may complement these factors by increasing destination awareness, reducing information uncertainty, and enhancing perceived social relevance [6], [7].”

“These accounts align with research on Fear of Missing Out and youth sharing practices (Herrero-Diz et al., 2020; Tandon et al., 2021).”

“FOMO dimaknai sebagai rasa takut tertinggal akan pengalaman atau momen berharga yang orang lain nikmati (Przybylski et al., 2013), terutama di era media sosial yang menghadirkan gambaran terus-menerus tentang kehidupan orang lain (Kowalczyk et al., 2021; Kumar & Kumar, 2024; Tandon et al., 2021).”

“FOMO drives individuals to continuously monitor notifications and update social media activities without interruption [7].”

“This agrees with earlier evidence linking FoMO to fatigue among social media users (Dhir et al., 2019; Tandon, Dhir, Almugren, et al., 2021).”

“Most studies have focused on general social media or traditional e-commerce contexts (Hussain et al., 2023; Tandon et al., 2021), leaving live-commerce dynamics largely underexamined.”

“Existing research indicates that FoMO is primarily influenced by factors such as personality traits, psychological needs, and patterns of SM use (Gao et al., 2026; Tandon et al., 2021; Zhang et al., 2024).”

“Scarcity theory menjelaskan bahwa keterbatasan waktu dan stok meningkatkan nilai yang dipersepsikan terhadap suatu penawaran (Ku et al., 2022), sementara konsep Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) menjelaskan kecemasan sosial yang membuat Generasi Z sensitif terhadap penawaran terbatas waktu (Tandon et al., 2021).”

“Among these psychological outcomes, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) represents one of the most prominent manifestations [8].”

“…also increasingly adopted integrated models that connect FoMO with social comparison and self-esteem, but much of this literature is quantitative, cross-sectional, and focused on late adolescents, university students, or adult users (Servidio et al., 2024; Tandon et al., 2021; Zhao & Zhou, 2020).”

“FOMO significantly influences impulse buying and consumptive behavior by triggering anxiety, urgency, and social comparison, as reported by Tandon et al. (2021), Ilmi et al. (2025), Pramestha & Sakti (2026), and Promalessy et al. (2026).”

“In this regard, it can be said that these examples create a perceived urgency to stay constantly updated, which reinforces compulsive checking behavior (Tandon et al., 2021).”

“…context, lifestyle demands function not only as internal preferences but also as drivers that interact with social media stimuli, creating social pressure rooted in Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and thereby reinforcing impulsive consumption urges (Djafarova & Bowes, 2021; Tandon et al. , 2021).”

“Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is a psychological condition in which individuals feel afraid of missing out on an ongoing social experience or trend (Tandon et al., 2021).”

“Research on psychological phenomena such as fear of missing out (Tandon et al. , 2021) suggests that online communities can instead become sources of psychosocial stress, which aligns with the overall concept of the spectacle.”

“This study identifies peer pressure as intensifying FoMO as individuals compare their experiences to those of their peers, feeling inadequate or excluded if they believe they are not participating in similar experiences (Tandon et al., 2021).”

“Using social media increases social comparison (SC), a basic human tendency, by constantly exposing users to information about others’ lives (Liu et al., 2024; Tandon et al., 2021; Verduyn et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2020; Wu & Srite, 2021).”

“This indicates a fear of missing out (FOMO) phenomenon in adopting AI technology (Tandon et al., 2021), including in journalism.”

“Studies have shown that public self-disclosure also draws on numerous positive impacts, including reducing the e ff ects of loneliness [36], strengthening relational closeness [16, 17, 39], extending a sense of connectedness [18], and improving the subjective well-being [39].”

“…is consistent with prior research showing that overload, social comparison, and pressure to maintain online relationships are relevant to SMF, while FoMO is associated with continued attention to social media and problematic technology use (Tandon et al., 2021; Elhai, Yang, & Montag, 2021).”

“The quality appraisal was conducted using the standard quality assessment criteria (Table 3) adapted from a prior study [20].”

“Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) didefinisikan oleh Tandon et al. (2021) sebagai perasaan Keterlibatan aktif pengguna di media sosial, seperti membagikan, menyukai, dan mengomentari konten, meningkatkan eksposur terhadap kehidupan orang lain yang bisa memicu FoMO.”

“…needs are unfulfilled, individuals, especially those high in FoMO, may seek alternative avenues for connection, such as increased online engagement (Alt & Boniel-Nissim, 2018 ; Kardefelt-Winther, 2014; Tandon et al., 2021), while satisfaction of these needs can mitigate FoMO (Xie et al., 2018).”

“In the digital era, the rapid growth of technology and the ease of access to the internet have made social media inseparable from everyday life, which allows individuals to interact anywhere and anytime (Tandon et al, 2021).”

“Studies have investigated the links between FOM, social media use, and addiction (Balta et al., 2020; Reer et al., 2019; Servidio et al., 2021), based on theories like social comparison, self-determination, and self-construal (Tandon et al., 2021; Wu-Ouyang, 2022).”

“Users with FoMO often possess a desire to satisfy intrinsic needs, such as the desire for interpersonal attachment and a sense of social belonging or popularity, which drives them to act to satisfy their needs (Tandon et al., 2021).”

“SLR combines existing evidence on a subject to obtain relevant, robust, and thorough information (Tandon et al., 2021 and Shelley Mallett, 2004).”

“FoMO research needs multidisciplinary frameworks that attend to motives, outcomes, and contextual differences (Tandon et al., 2021, pp. 782 – 821).”

“…is the emergence of the psychological problem of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) where students are afraid of not being up to date, afraid of missing the latest notifications from their virtual friends' online activities, resulting in a feeling of wanting to always be online (Tandon, et al. , 2021).”

“Many researchers, including Gullu & Serin (2020), Tandon et al. (2021), Gioia et al. (2021), and Tanhan et al. (2022), agree that FoMO entails a state of intense tension, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of isolation experienced by individuals when they miss out on or lose the new experiences…”

“Cette perspective du FoMO élargit la littérature actuelle, qui jusqu’à présent s’est principalement concentrée sur la façon dont le FoMO affecte le bien-être des utilisateurs et leur relation avec les réseaux sociaux au sens large (voir Tandon et al., 2021).”

“FoMO describes anxiety about missing events or information and is often associated with greater dependence on social media and increased psychological burden [21,22].”

“Digital stress extends beyond simple screen time exposure to function as a pervasive stressor, characterized primarily by continuous availability expectations and the fear of missing out [15].”