The impact of fear of missing out on conspicuous consumption: the mediating role of self-esteem

Zhi-Wei Jiang and Shu-Ya Chang

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2025, vol. 29, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: This study probes how the fear of missing out (FOMO) shapes status-oriented purchasing and assesses self-esteem as an explanatory mechanism alongside gender as a boundary condition. Employing purposive sampling, we gathered 561 valid questionnaires from employed adults in mainland China. Structural-equation modelling shows that FOMO directly bolsters conspicuous buying, whereas robust self-esteem dampens it. FOMO also erodes self-esteem, which partially conveys its influence on conspicuous consumption. Tests for moderation indicate that these pathways are essentially the same for men and women. Taken together, the findings reveal that social-media-driven anxiety fuels conspicuous spending both outright and through diminished self-esteem, while gender exerts little additional impact. The work enriches understanding of the psychological engines behind conspicuous consumption and offers practical guidance for marketers and consumer-education initiatives aimed at encouraging more considered purchasing behaviour.

Keywords: fear of missing out; FOMO; conspicuous consumption; mediating role; self-esteem; gender. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijecbr:v:29:y:2025:i:18:p:1-19

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