Social media fatigue in emerging adulthood: exploring the role of fear of missing out and upward appearance comparison

This study aimed to determine 1) the role of fear of missing out (FoMO) on social media fatigue (SMF) and 2) the role of upward appearance comparison (UAC) as a mediator between FoMO and SMF in 369 emerging adults in Indonesia. Using convenience sampling techniques, the data were analyzed using SPSS, which included descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis with a mediator, as assessed by the Sobel test. The results of this study indicate that FoMO has significant direct and indirect roles, namely, through UAC mediation, in predicting increased SMF in emerging adulthood. UAC can fully mediate the role of FoMO in predicting SMF in male participants but only partially mediates in female participants. Future research can explore the same phenomenon more inclusively by including emerging adults who identify as transgender, agender, gender queer, or gender fluid, thereby clarifying the relationship patterns of FoMO, UAC, and SMF across broader gender representations.