Fear of missing out on social media: implications for private and professional lives

The “dark side” of social media use is a topic of vivid discourse in academia and mass media. Within this discourse, various negative effects, such as social media fatigue, addictive or compulsive use, and social media use-related sleep problems have garnered attention. The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is a particular dark side of social media phenomenon that has significant implications for diverse segments of social media users. In the past decade, since the operationalization of FoMO, scholars, especially those researching social media, have made continuing progress in understanding FoMO’s conceptual foundations as well as the capacities in which FoMO can influence the well-being of social media users. Despite the growing scholarly interest, research on FoMO is fragmented and features significant knowledge gaps, such as a limited understanding of its consequences and a lack of focus in prior studies beyond young adults and teenagers as a respondent group. These gaps need to be addressed as myriad mass media reports and academic studies have linked social media users’ experience of FoMO with indicators of diminished well-being, which in turn has implications for these users’ personal and professional lives. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate how FoMO, as a context-specific psychological trigger, predicates users’ experience of phenomena associated with the dark side of social media such as social media fatigue, compulsive social media use, and social media stalking. It further investigates the influence of such FoMOdriven experiences on individual users’ professional and personal lives. This dissertation examines FoMO within the social media environment and investigates theoretically grounded frameworks that illustrate the pathways through which FoMO may lead to negative consequences. The dissertation comprises five articles: one systematic literature review (Article I) and four quantitative studies (Articles II–V) developed based on the review findings. Following a systematic review of 58 empirical publications on FoMO, Article I provides foundational knowledge on FoMO’s known antecedents and consequences, indirect influencers (moderators and mediators), study contexts, conceptualization, and operationalization. The results are used to present an overarching framework and five key propositions for advancing research on FoMO. The findings of Articles II and III provide new insights into FoMO’s influence on the personal well-being of social media users. Discerning significant links between FoMO and the compulsive use of social media, online social comparison, social media stalking, and disruptions in sleep hygiene (i.e., sleep-related habits and routines), these articles argue that FoMO could culminate in social media users’ experiences of problematic sleep and social media fatigue. The findings also show that FoMO may have an amplification effect on the users’ dark side of social media experiences on these platforms, albeit through different manifestations among young adults and working professionals. Articles IV and V focus on FoMO-driven social media use in the workplace and the subsequent consequences. In doing so, this research empirically investigates employees, who are a relatively less-studied demographic in the FoMO research compared to young adults. The findings show that FoMO has the capacity to predict diminished work performance, work procrastination, phubbing (the problematic use of smartphones during social or workplace interactions), workplace exhaustion, and work incivility. Further, these articles show that individual characteristics, such as regulatory focus and social media envy, play an important role in users’ experiences of negative consequences. Collectively, the findings of this dissertation provide novel insights into the mechanisms through which FoMO can trigger the problematic use of technological platforms, such as social media and smartphones, and users’ engagement in activities that are intrinsically linked with the dark side of social media. The dissertation suggests that FoMO and the dark side of social media phenomena may indeed have a cyclical relationship wherein one may trigger another, causing a vicious loop. In addition to advancing the understanding of ways in which FoMO can negatively influence an individual’s life, the findings hint at its potential to indirectly, but positively, benefit individual performance in the workplace. In doing so, the dissertation creates new knowledge on the dual effects of FoMO. Cumulatively, the findings of this dissertation, particularly Article I, provide several avenues that scholars can pursue to further advance the frontier of knowledge on FoMO in particular and the dark side of social media in general. KEYWORDS: Fear of missing out, dark side of social media, compulsive use, phubbing, problematic sleep, work performanceSosiaalisen median ei-toivotut vaikutukset (sosiaalisen median pimeä puoli) palvelujen käyttäjille ovat viime vuosina olleet vilkkaan julkisen keskustelun ja akateemisen tutkimuksen kohteena. Aihepiirin tutkimus on tarkastellut mm. käyttäjien väsymystä sosiaalisen mediaan, riippuvuutta sosiaalista mediaa kohtaan, sosiaalisen median pakonomaista käyttöä, sekä sosiaalisen median käytön vaikutusta uneen. Paitsi jäämisen pelko (Fear of Missing Out, FoMO) on ilmiö sosiaalisen median pimeiden puolin kentässä, jolla on havaittu merkittäviä, tyypillisesti kielteisiä vaikutuksia palvelujen käyttäjiin. Lisääntyneestä tutkimuksesta huolimatta ymmärrys FoMO:sta on pirstaloitunutta. Tutkimuskirjallisuus on korostanut erityisesti tarvetta FoMo:n käsitteellis-teoreettisen taustan ymmärryksen vahvistamiselle ja tarvetta ymmärtää FoMO:n vaikutuksia sosiaalisen median palvelujen käyttäjien hyvinvoinnille. Tämän väitöstutkimuksen tavoitteena on osaltaan täyttää em. aukkoja aiemmassa tutkimuksessa tutkimalla FoMO:a kontekstisidonnaisena psykologisena laukaisevana tekijänä, jolla on vaikutuksia sosiaalisen median käyttäjiin niin yksityis- kuin työelämässäkin. Väitöskirja koostuu viidestä artikkelista: yhdestä systemaattisesta kirjallisuuskatsauksesta (Artikkeli I) ja neljästä kvantitatiivisesta kyselytutkimuksesta (Artikkelit II–V), jotka on kehitetty kirjallisuuskatsauksen tulosten perusteella. Artikkeli I perustuu 58 empiiriseen julkaisuun FoMO:sta ja tarjoaa perustiedot FoMO:on vaikuttavista tekijöistä ja seurauksista, epäsuorista vaikuttajista (moderaattorit ja välittävät muuttujat), tutkimuskonteksteista, käsitteellistämisestä ja operationalisoinnista. Tuloksia käytetään esittämään tutkimuksellinen viitekehys ja viisi keskeistä suuntaa FoMO:n tutkimuksen edistämiseksi. Artikkelien II ja III tulokset tarjoavat uusia näkökulmia FoMO:n vaikutukseen sosiaalisen median käyttäjien henkilökohtaiseen hyvinvointiin. Artikkeleissa havaitaan merkittäviä yhteyksiä FoMO:n ja sosiaalisen median pakonomaisen käytön, verkossa tapahtuvan sosiaalisen vertailun, sosiaalisessa mediassa tapahtuvan vainoamisen (stalking) ja unihygienian häiriöiden (eli unen laatuun vaikuttavien tapojen ja rutiinien) välillä. Artikkelit osoittavat, että FoMO voi johtaa sosiaalisen median käyttäjien kokemaan ongelmalliseen uneen ja väsymykseen sosiaalista mediaa kohtaan. Artikkelit IV ja V keskittyvät FoMO:n ajamaan sosiaalisen median käyttöön työpaikalla ja siihen liittyviin seurauksiin. Tulokset osoittavat, että FoMO voi ennustaa heikentynyttä työsuoritusta, työn viivyttelyä, puhelinten liiallista käyttöä sosiaalisissa tilanteissa tai työympäristössä (phubbing), työuupumusta ja epäkohteliasta käyttäytymistä työpaikalla. Lisäksi nämä artikkelit osoittivat yksilön ominaisuuksien tärkeän roolin käyttäjien kokemuksissa näistä negatiivisista seurauksista. Kokonaisuutena väitöstutkimukseen sisällytettyjen artikkeleiden tulokset tarjoavat uutta tietoa FoMO: on vaikuttavista tekijöitä ja sen seurauksista niin ihmisten yksityiselämässä kuin työkontekstissakin. Tulokset tarjoavat viitteitä FoMO:n ja sosiaalisen median pimeän puolen välisestä toisiaan vahvistavasta syklisestä suhteesta. Tulokset tarjoavat myös, osin yllättävästi, viitteitä, että paremmin tunnettujen kielteisten vaikutustensa lisäksi FoMO:lla voi olla myös positiivisia vaikutuksia yksilön suorituskykyyn työpaikalla. Väitöstutkimus tarjoaa kattavan viitekehyksen, jota erityisesti FoMO:n ja yleisemmin sosiaalisen median pimeän puolen tutkimuksessa. ASIASANAT: Paitsi jäämisen pelko, sosiaalisen median pimeä puoli, pakonomainen käyttö, phubbing, uniongelmat, suorituskyky töiss

Assessment of Shopping Mall Customers’ Experience through Criteria of Attractiveness in Tier-II and Tier-III Cities of India: An Exploratory Study

The present research attempts to develop a theoretical framework for the assessment of shopping mall customer experience dimensions. It further classifies the variables associated with retail experiences that may attract customers in Tier-II and Tier- III cities towards the malls. Exhaustive literature review and expert opinion approaches have been used to explore the evaluation criteria for the assessment of the mall experience. ISM is used to develop a structural model that represents relationships among variables at different levels along with driving and dependence relationships in the structural model. The result highlights that factors like customer value orientation, tenant mix, employees, facilities management are the most significant benchmarking criteria for customers’ assessment of their mall experience in the present study. To achieve profitable operations in these cities, retailer’s need to acquaint themselves with the expectations of customers in order to attract their attention. This indicates that it is imperative for mall managers to identify how consumers benchmark different parameters while evaluating a mall experience. Understanding the importance of such parameters will allow malls to be built according to some standard specifications that can meet a consumer’s threshold for appeal and attractiveness. The study adds to the existing literature of assessing shopping experience in Tier-II and Tier-III cities’ malls through a structural model. The most and the least dominant factors found in this study will help mall managers to develop strategies to enhance the customer shopping experience in malls

Jealousy due to social media? A systematic literature review and framework of social media-induced jealousy

Purpose The association between social media and jealousy is an aspect of the dark side of social media that has garnered significant attention in the past decade. However, the understanding of this association is fragmented and needs to be assimilated to provide scholars with an overview of the current boundaries of knowledge in this area. This systematic literature review (SLR) aims to fulfill this need. Design/methodology/approach The authors undertake an SLR to assimilate the current knowledge regarding the association between social media and jealousy, and they examine the phenomenon of social media-induced jealousy (SoMJ). Forty-five empirical studies are curated and analyzed using stringent protocols to elucidate the existing research profile and thematic research areas. Findings The research themes emerging from the SLR are (1) the need for a theoretical and methodological grounding of the concept, (2) the sociodemographic differences in SoMJ experiences, (3) the antecedents of SoMJ (individual, partner, rival and platform affordances) and (4) the positive and negative consequences of SoMJ. Conceptual and methodological improvements are needed to undertake a temporal and cross-cultural investigation of factors that may affect SoMJ and acceptable thresholds for social media behavior across different user cohorts. This study also identifies the need to expand current research boundaries by developing new methodologies and focusing on under-investigated variables. Originality/value The study may assist in the development of practical measures to raise awareness about the adverse consequences of SoMJ, such as intimate partner violence and cyberstalking.publishedVersio

Jealousy due to social media? A systematic literature review and framework of social media-induced jealousy

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Sleepless due to social media? Investigating problematic sleep due to social media and social media sleep hygiene

Emergent research suggests that “fear of missing out” (FoMO)-driven nocturnal use of social media may result in sleep disturbances and adversely influence quality of sleep. Previous research in this area primarily focused on adolescents. Therefore, knowledge of these occurrences in young adults is limited. This study addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the associations of FoMO, psychological well-being (anxiety, depression), compulsive social media use (CSMU), and sleep hygiene (habits that promote/inhibit sleep) with problematic sleep adults in both academic and employment settings. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted to collect data from two cohorts including (i) full-time students (N = 1398), and (ii) full-time working professionals (N = 472). Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results indicated that psychological well-being influences CSMU, which in concurrence with sleep habits, influences the association between FoMO and problematic sleep. Significant differences existed in the strength of the association between CSMU and FoMO between the two cohorts. Interestingly, FoMO is more strongly associated with CSMU among working professionals. This study provides novel insights into the differential effects of CSMU and FoMO on sleep behaviors in young adult students versus working professionals.publishedVersio

Sleepless due to social media? Investigating problematic sleep due to social media and social media sleep hygiene

Emergent research suggests that “fear of missing out” (FoMO)-driven nocturnal use of social media may result in sleep disturbances and adversely influence quality of sleep. Previous research in this area primarily focused on adolescents. Therefore, knowledge of these occurrences in young adults is limited. This study addresses this knowledge gap by investigating the associations of FoMO, psychological well-being (anxiety, depression), compulsive social media use (CSMU), and sleep hygiene (habits that promote/inhibit sleep) with problematic sleep adults in both academic and employment settings. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted to collect data from two cohorts including (i) full-time students (N = 1398), and (ii) full-time working professionals (N = 472). Data were analyzed with structural equation modeling. The results indicated that psychological well-being influences CSMU, which in concurrence with sleep habits, influences the association between FoMO and problematic sleep. Significant differences existed in the strength of the association between CSMU and FoMO between the two cohorts. Interestingly, FoMO is more strongly associated with CSMU among working professionals. This study provides novel insights into the differential effects of CSMU and FoMO on sleep behaviors in young adult students versus working professionals.publishedVersio

Social media users’ online subjective well-being and fatigue: A network heterogeneity perspective

Scholars have drawn increasing attention to the implications of the dark side of social media for users’ online subjective well-being (OSWB). We develop a research framework based on the limited-capacity model to examine the relationship between OSWB and social media fatigue. Moreover, we explore the associations between specific aspects related to network heterogeneity and social media fatigue for social media users in the United States of America (USA). Further, we examine the mediating effect of network heterogeneity on the association between OSWB and social media fatigue. We utilised a cross-sectional research design to collect data from Prolific Academic (N = 320) and analysed the data through structural equation modelling. The results indicate that OSWB is positively correlated with the network heterogeneity aspect of self-disclosure and negatively correlated with social comparison. OSWB, moreover, is negatively correlated with fatigue, while privacy concerns and self-disclosure are positively correlated with fatigue. Further, of the network heterogeneity aspects we considered, only social comparison is a partial mediator for the relationship between OSWB and social media fatigue. The findings provide insights into the pathways through which social media users’ OSWB and network heterogeneity can induce social media fatigue, raising critical implications for theory and practice.publishedVersio

Behavioral reasoning perspectives on organic food purchase

Consumers' rising interest in organic food has drawn the attention of the academic community. The literature on the topic is growing, but it mostly focuses either on the acceptance of or resistance toward organic food. However, marketing scholars argue that the development of more in-depth insights into consumers' reasoning processes, and especially the roles of values and context-specific reasons are needed. The present study bridges this gap by utilizing the novel behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) framework. Cross-sectional data from 307 consumers and non-consumers from India were collected to investigate associations among attitudes, reasoning, value, and purchase intentions. This research studies the moderating role of food safety concerns and buying involvement. Additionally, the mediating role of reasons and attitudes is examined. The results suggest that value was positively associated with reasons (for and against), whereas attitude and reasons (for) resulted in favorable purchase intentions. Reasons (for and against) fully mediate the association between value and attitude. Furthermore, attitude partially mediates the association of reasons and purchase intentions. The moderation effect was not found for food safety concerns, but a limited effect among studied associations was observed for buying involvement. The findings raise significant implications for marketers and policymakers.Peer reviewe

Behavioral reasoning perspectives on organic food purchase

Consumers' rising interest in organic food has drawn the attention of the academic community. The literature on the topic is growing, but it mostly focuses either on the acceptance of or resistance toward organic food. However, marketing scholars argue that the development of more in-depth insights into consumers’ reasoning processes, and especially the roles of values and context-specific reasons are needed. The present study bridges this gap by utilizing the novel behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) framework. Cross-sectional data from 307 consumers and non-consumers from India were collected to investigate associations among attitudes, reasoning, value, and purchase intentions. This research studies the moderating role of food safety concerns and buying involvement. Additionally, the mediating role of reasons and attitudes is examined. The results suggest that value was positively associated with reasons (for and against), whereas attitude and reasons (for) resulted in favorable purchase intentions. Reasons (for and against) fully mediate the association between value and attitude. Furthermore, attitude partially mediates the association of reasons and purchase intentions. The moderation effect was not found for food safety concerns, but a limited effect among studied associations was observed for buying involvement. The findings raise significant implications for marketers and policymakers.publishedVersio

Social media induced fear of missing out (FoMO) and phubbing: Behavioural, relational and psychological outcomes

The penetration of smartphones and the subsequent social media use in modern workplaces have drawn scholars’ attention towards studying their influence on employees. This is a nascent yet critical field of study because initial inquiries have confirmed the significant adverse implications of smartphone and social media use for employee well-being and productivity. Acknowledging the need to better explicate the consequences of the so-called ‘dark side’ of social media use at work, we examine the association of FoMO and phubbing with both psychological (i.e. work exhaustion and creativity) and relational (i.e. workplace incivility) employee outcomes. We tested our proposed hypotheses, which rest on the theoretical tripod of the theory of compensatory Internet use, the limited capacity model and regulatory focus theory, through structural equation modelling (SEM) of data collected from 243 working professionals in the United States (US). The results suggest that FoMO has a positive association with phubbing, which, in turn, is positively associated with both psychological and relational responses. In addition, our analysis reveals the moderation effect of promotion focus on the association between phubbing and creativity. In comparison, we observe no moderation effect for prevention focus on any of the proposed associations. Our findings provide new insights into the impact of smartphone and social media use on employees and offer important implications for theory and practice.publishedVersio