Influence of FOMO and Social Comparison on Self-esteem among University Students

Abstract

The term FOMO stands for Fear of Missing Out, which is related to social anxiety, where one feels that they might be missing out on pleasurable experiences, people, and opportunities. Social comparison means assessing one’s abilities, traits, and achievements to others. While self-esteem is the negative or positive judgment about himself. This study aimed to investigate the association between FOMO, social comparison, and self-esteem among university students. For this purpose, a correlational research design was used with a sample size of (N=291) university students. Male students (n=140) and female students (n=149) with an age range of (18-25) participants were selected through the purposive convenience sampling method. The study used the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Iowa- Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure, and the Fear of Missing Out scale. All the scales showed satisfactory levels of reliability coefficients. The correlation study results demonstrated a significant positive relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), Social Comparison, and Self-esteem. Similarly, Social Comparison exhibited a significant positive correlation with Self-esteem. Furthermore, regression analysis found that social comparison was a strong positive predictor of self-esteem.