Abstract. The impact of social media on youngsters is profound. The study examines the mediating influence of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) on the relationship between social media addiction and compulsive buying among youths in India. Structural Equation Modeling revealed that social media addiction significantly influenced the compulsive buying behavior of the students. Social media addiction substantially influenced FoMO, and FoMO further elevated compulsive buying. It was also reported that FoMO mediated the relationship between social media addiction and compulsive buying. The study further suggests coping strategies to curb these additive behaviors.

Key words: social media addiction, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), compulsive buying, strategies

Full text here.