Scroll, Stress, Spend: How FoMO Fuels Compulsive Buying Through Emotional Turmoil

초록

With the growing prevalence of digital media, consumers are increasingly exposed to curated social content that amplifies social comparison and emotional triggers. Fear of Missing Out (FoMO)—defined as the anxiety that others might be experiencing rewarding events without oneself—has emerged as a significant driver of emotion-based consumption. This study proposes and tests a multi-process model linking FoMO to compulsive buying behavior through two mediators: experiential avoidance and decision fatigue. Additionally, emotional intelligence is examined as a moderating factor that buffers the psychological impact of FoMO. Survey data collected from 667 Mongolian adults were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Results confirm that FoMO positively predicts compulsive buying behavior, with both experiential avoidance and decision fatigue serving as significant mediators. Furthermore, emotional intelligence moderated the relationship between FoMO and experiential avoidance, weakening the avoidance tendency among emotionally intelligent individuals. These findings contribute to consumer behavior research by integrating emotional and cognitive pathways in explaining digital compulsive consumption and highlight the importance of consumer education, digital wellbeing, and ethical marketing interventions in mitigating FoMO-induced behaviors.

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