Perception of Self-Existence Towards Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) on Social Media by Freshmen at the University State of Malang

Abstract

This qualitative research aimed to find the perception of the self-existence of new students at the State University of Malang towards the fear of missing out (FOMO). Today, almost all people use social media to connect with others or do other activities. FOMO is a worry or fear arising from missing something new or trending. Therefore, people always want to connect with others to avoid missing out. This research used a phenomenological approach with interviews as a data collection and purposive sampling techniques. Participants in this research were three freshmen at the Universitas Negeri Malang. The study’s results indicated that participants wanted to follow their own trends and criteria in posting content material on social media. The criteria consisted of peak attention to the time of uploading content, the quality of content material relating to self-awareness and maturity, and the influence of other people in creating content material. In conclusion, people have a perception of self-existence to people around them in order to get more attention and personal pleasure through social media. Keywords: Self Existence, Fear of Missing Out, Social Media