When the screen calls: online FoMo as a behavioural and pedagogical problem

Abstract

Fear of missing out (FoMo) is conceptualized as a five-phase cycle of triggers, emotions, digital engagement, post-FoMo states, and coping. In a mixed-methods design, 256 Croatian students completed a survey and 23 high-FoMo students were interviewed. Survey items adapted from existing literature that assessed FoMo frequency and media use; descriptive results showed boredom as the most common trigger (72%) and relief as the dominant outcome (57%). Thematic analysis of interviews highlighted the recursive nature of FoMo and the role of shame as a marker of self-discrepancy. Findings suggest FoMo functions less as pleasure-seeking than as an emotion-regulation loop characterized by relief, ambivalence, and guilt. Practical implications point to media-literacy curricula and counselling interventions addressing regulation challenges. By integrating survey and interview data, the study refines a cyclical FoMo model and situates the phenomenon at the intersection of peer influence, educational engagement and digital habits.