The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and event-specific drinking: The relationship between FoMO and alcohol use, harm, and breath alcohol concentration during orientation week

• Published in: Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) Vol. 40; no. 8; pp. 3691 - 3701
• Main Authors: Riordan, Benjamin C., Flett, Jayde A. M., Cody, Louise M., Conner, Tamlin S., Scarf, Damian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-08-2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alcohol use; Behavioral Science and Psychology; College freshmen; Drinking of alcoholic beverages; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Social networks; Social research; Social Sciences; Australia; Event-specific drinking; Student drinking; BAC; Orientation week; FoMO; Fear of Missing Out; Alcohol use
• ISSN: 1046-1310; 1936-4733
• DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-00318-6

The Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is the feeling that one is missing out on rewarding experiences. FoMO research has largely focused on the link between FoMO and unhealthy social networking use, but FoMO may have implications for other behaviours. In two studies, we aimed to determine whether FoMO was related to alcohol use during a period associated with excessive alcohol use and harm among young adults: Orientation Week (O’Week). In Study 1, we intercepted students outside O’Week events, asked them to report their FoMO, number of drinks, and breathalysed them. In Study 2, we asked students to fill in surveys and report their weekly O’Week drinking and any alcohol-related harm they experienced retrospectively. In Study 1, we found that FoMO did not predict number of drinks, time spent drinking, or Breath Alcohol Concentration. However, those who experienced FoMO were more likely to report any drinking. In Study 2, FoMO predicted weekly O’Week drinking and harm (even when controlling for previous drinking). FoMO also predicted harm over and above O’Week drinking (suggesting that drinking alone may not be the cause of the consequences). These findings suggest that FoMO may have implications beyond social networking use and may be a key aim for alcohol interventions during periods of excessive alcohol use.