1. Fear of Missing Out (FoMO): The missing link in explaining Facebook
addiction?
Bosau C., Aelker, L. & Amaadachou, H.
Theoretical Background:
§ While social networks clearly have positive effects on people’s live, they might also produce negative consequences (Turkle, 2011).
§ For instance, it is discussed whether – besides internet addiction - a type of Facebook addiction exists in todays online world (Masur, 2013).
§ Still, it is not totally clear, why normal Facebook usage could turn into addiction.
§ Lately, the term Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is discussed as a new and potentially important aspect in explaining people’s online behaviour especially in social networks
(JWT, 2012; Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan & Gladwell, 2013).
§ However, the specific causal relationships between Facebook behaviour, addiction and FoMO have not been clarified yet.
Sample & Method:
Regression analysis:
Dataset: 85 Facebook-Users answered a questionnaire via Facebook, EmailLists, etc.
Statistical analysis: regression & mediation analysis (Baron & Kenney, 1986).
FB
addiction
total
Measures:
Facebook-Usage: measured by two different indicators (see Bosau, 2013):
a) Input-behaviour (e.g. posting, uploading pictures, etc.)
b) Output-behaviour (e.g. reading comments, looking at friend’s pictures, etc.)
Facebook addiction: measuring classical addiction criteria: loss of control,
withdrawal state, evidence of tolerance, harm to social relationships and harm to
work and performance (Masur, 2013; based on the Internet addiction scale - ISS by Hahn & Jerusalem, 2010)
Fear of Missing Out (FoMO): measuring the fear of missing out regarding
important information about friends, their activities, loosing contact to friends, etc.
(Przybylski, Murayama, DeHaan & Gladwell, 2013)
FB
FB
FB
addiction
addiction addiction
work &
withdrawal
loss of
performance
state
control
FB
addiction
social
harm
FB
addiction
tolerance
Age
-.12*
-.24***
n.s.
n.s.
-.14*
n.s.
Gender
n.s.
n.s.
n.s.
n.s.
.27*** (m)
n.s.
FoMO
.45***
.37***
.37***
n.s.
.25*
.52***
Output
n.s.
n.s.
n.s.
.35***
n.s.
.20*
Input
.24**
n.s.
.48***
n.s.
.53***
n.s.
*** p < .01; ** p < .05; * p < .10; all coefficients are standardized beta-coefficients
Mediation analysis (controlled for age & gender) – withdrawal state, loss of control, social harm & tolerance
FoMO
β = .68***
FoMO
β = .62***
Output
mediation: β = .15
total effect: β = .57***
withdrawal
state
β = .68***
β = .21
Output
mediation: β = .33**
total effect: β = .47***
FoMO
β = .69***
FoMO
loss of
control
β = .68***
withInput
drawal
mediation: β = .49*** state
total effect: β = .75***
β = .69***
β = .52***
Output
mediation: β = -.01
total effect: β = .34***
FoMO
β = .38***
FoMO
social
harm
β = .68***
Output
tolerance
mediation: β = .22**
total effect: β = .59***
FoMO
β = .41***
Input
mediation: β = .02
total effect: β = .31***
loss of
control
β = .69***
β = .55***
FoMO
β = .17
Input
mediation: β = .48***
total effect: β = .60***
social
harm
β = .68***
β = .61***
Input
tolerance
mediation: β = .12
total effect: β = .54***
Results:
§ The results show that Facebook usage can potentially lead to addiction, since users that highly use Facebook score higher on all of the addiction aspects.
§ It is necessary to differentiate between Input-behaviour vs. Output-behaviour in Facebook usage, since both kinds of behaviour have dissimilar consequences.
§ FoMO plays an important role in explaining why Facebook usage can lead to addiction, since it seems to be an important mediator in this relationship. Even more, the
mediation effect of FoMO differs systematically between the two different kinds of behaviour.
§ While Output-behaviour has a direct effect on loss of control and tolerance, its effect on work & performance, withdrawal state and social harm is mediated by FoMO.
Oppositely, Input-behaviour has a direct effect on withdrawal state and social harm, while its effect on work & performance, loss of control and tolerance is mediated by
FoMO.
§ Added Value:
The study is a first step in clarifying how the usage of social networks can make people become addicted. Furthermore, the importance of the fairly new term FoMO is
emphasized because of its high explanatory power.
References:
Baron, R.M. & Kenney, D.A. (1986). The Moderator-Mediator Variable Distinction in Social Psychological Research: Conceptual, Strategic, and Statistical Considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 51
(6). 1173-1182.
Bosau, C. (2013). Privacy protection as a matter of trust – how trust in Facebook and trust in friends lead to different behaviour in social networks. 8th Conference of the Media Psychology Division (German Psychological
Society) in Würzburg.
Hahn, A. & Jerusalem, M. (2010). Die Internetsuchtskala (ISS): Psychometrische Eigenschaften und Validität. In: D. Mücken, A. Teske, F. Rehbein, & B.T. te Wildt, (Eds.). Prävention, Diagnostik und Therapie von
Computerspielabhängigkeit (pp. 185-204). Lengerich: Pabst Science Publishers.
JWT (2012). Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), March 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.jwtintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/F _JWT_FOMO- update_3.21.12.pdf [01.09.2012].
Masur, P. (2013). Addictive Behavior on Social Network Sites - The Role of Intrinsic Needs and Motives in Explaining Facebook Addiction. 8th Conference of the Media Psychology Division (German Psychological Society) in
Würzburg.
Przybylski, A.K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C.R. & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioural correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, Vol. 29, pp. 1841-1848.
Turkle, S. (2011). Alone together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other. New York: Basic Books.
contact details:
contact details:
Prof. Dr. C. Bosau
Prof. Dr. C. Bosau
Rheinische Fachhochschule Köln
Schaevenstr. 1
Schaevenstr. 1 a/b a/b
50676 Köln
50676 Köln
phone: +49 221 20302-692
phone: +49 221 20302-692
mail: bosau@rfh-koeln.de
mail: bosau@rfh-koeln.de
web: http://www.rfh-koeln.de
web: http://www.rfh-koeln.de
GOR, March 2014, Cologne/Germany
GOR, March 2014, Cologne/Germany