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The Fear of Missing Out, When We Enjoy Being Alone: FoMO, Preference for Solitude, and Social Media Use in Emerging Adulthood
Researcher: Mia Perry
Background: Past research indicates that the Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is linked with frequent social media use and poor well-being, whereas solitude can be beneficial, especially in emerging adults. Despite this contrast, the association between preference for solitude and FoMO remains unexplored. This study aimed to examine the associations between preference for solitude, social media use, and FoMO in emerging adults.
Method: Participants were 527 emerging adults aged 18-25 (M = 20.14, SD = 1.75). Participants completed an online survey assessing social media use frequency, preference for solitude, and FoMO.
Results: Results indicated that FoMO was positively correlated with social media use and inversely associated with preference for solitude. Results also showed that social media use did not moderate the negative association between preference for solitude and FoMO.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that emerging adults who prefer solitude experience low levels of FoMO, regardless of how often they use social media.
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