Comparative Study of Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Between Gen Z And Millennials

In the digital era, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) has emerged as a significant psychological concern linked to pervasive social media use. This study aimed to compare FoMO levels between Generation Z and Millennials and investigate its relationship with daily social media usage. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 50 participants evenly divided between the two generations. FoMO was measured using the validated 10-item scale by Przybylski et al. (2013), and social media use was self-reported in hours per day. Descriptive statistics indicated moderate FoMO levels in both groups, with Gen Z reporting slightly higher scores (M = 2.54, SD = 0.65) than Millennials (M = 2.34, SD = 0.70). Mann-Whitney U test revealed no significant difference between the generations in FoMO levels (U = 262.5, p = .34). Spearman’s correlation showed a moderate but nonsignificant association between social media use and FoMO in Gen Z (rs = .31, p = .14), whereas the correlation was weaker in Millennials (rs = .24, p = .24). These findings suggest that FoMO is similarly experienced across these generations, and social media usage alone may not fully explain FoMO’s variation. The study contributes to understanding the psychological impact of digital engagement across age groups and has implications for developing targeted mental health interventions.