Fear of Missing Out and Consumption-Sharing Behavior on Social Media: The Moderating Role of Self-Presentation Desire and Social Network Type

Summary & key facts

Researchers surveyed 400 people in the United States to learn why people buy showy products and post about them on social media. They found that people who feel more fear of missing out — the worry that others are having better experiences — were more likely to buy things to show off and to share those purchases online. How much people buy and post also depended on how much they wanted to manage their image and the kind of social network they used. The study gives clues for businesses about when customers will promote products on social media.

Key facts:

• 400 people in the United States answered a survey and the researchers used statistical models to test relationships in the answers.
• People with higher fear of missing out (FOMO) were more likely to take part in conspicuous consumption, which means buying or using products to show off to others.
• Higher FOMO was also linked to a greater likelihood of sharing those purchases on social media.
• The strength of these links changed depending on how much people wanted to control how others saw them (self-presentation desire).
• The type of social network a person used also changed how much they bought to show off and how much they shared those buys online.
• The authors say these findings help explain when and why customers post about branded, showy purchases and could be useful for marketers who want to increase brand awareness.

Abstract

While sharing positive content about a brand’s products can bring huge benefits, when and what motivates consumers to post on social media is still an underexplored area, especially in a conspicuous consumption context. Therefore, this study tries to explain customers’ journey when engaging in conspicuous consumption and consumption-sharing behavior on social media by applying fear of missing out (FOMO), self-presentation, and social network types. This research was conducted with 400 respondents in the US, and the data were analyzed using PROCESS models. Results reveal that FOMO positively affects conspicuous consumption and consumption-sharing behavior. Moreover, conspicuous consumption and consumption-sharing behavior differ under the influence of self-presentation desire and the type of social network they have. The study contributes to the current literature by investigating the factors encouraging customers to share their conspicuous consumption on social media. It also offers significant insights and recommendations for marketers to increase brand awareness.

Topics

Digital Marketing and Social Media Sharing Economy and Platforms Technology Adoption and User Behaviour

Categories

Business, Management and Accounting Marketing Social Sciences

Tags

Computer science Consumption (sociology) Medicine Presentation (obstetrics) Psychology Radiology Social media Social network (sociolinguistics) Social psychology Social science Sociology World Wide Web