Examining Belonging and The Fear of Missing Out in Relation to Social Media Use: A Two-Part Study

We conducted two survey studies to better understand how using social media relates to differing outcomes in perceptions of social support and the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) in college students (N = 251, N = 529, respectively). Correlation analyses revealed higher levels of FoMO were most strongly related to scrolling behaviors on social media, whereas posting behaviors were correlated with increased feelings of belonging and lower levels of FoMO. No significant correlation was found between perceived online social support and FoMO. Finally, no significant gender differences in FoMO were found. These behavior-based relationships are likely linked to people\u27s innate need for belonging. The results of our studies suggest that posting (rather than scrolling) relates to more feelings of belonging and fewer feelings of missing out. Limitations and future directions are further addressed