Longitudinal effects of emerging adults' self-presentation on social networking sites on fear of missing out

The widespread use of social networking sites may increase fear of missing out among emerging adults. However, few longitudinal studies have examined how self-presentation on social networking sites influences fear of missing out or the underlying mechanisms from an individual-context interaction perspective. This study examined the longitudinal mediating roles of online social comparison and basic psychological needs satisfaction in the relationship between self-presentation on social networking sites and fear of missing out, as well as the moderating effect of neuroticism.

A three-wave longitudinal design was conducted with 743 Chinese college students (M_age = 19.57) recruited through cluster sampling. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing self-presentation on social networking sites, online social comparison, basic psychological needs satisfaction, neuroticism and fear of missing out. Data were analyzed using serial mediation modeling and moderated mediation modeling.

Positive and authentic self-presentation on social networking sites exerted differential effects on fear of missing out through distinct pathways. Specifically, positive self-presentation showed dual effects on fear of missing out, reducing fear of missing out via basic psychological needs satisfaction while simultaneously increasing fear of missing out through a serial pathway involving online upward social comparison and reduced basic psychological needs satisfaction. This serial indirect effect was stronger among individuals with higher levels of neuroticism. In contrast, authentic self-presentation reduced fear of missing out only through basic psychological needs satisfaction.

Positive self-presentation on social networking sites shapes fear of missing out through both protective and risk pathways, with basic psychological needs satisfaction functioning as a protective factor and online upward social comparison operating as a risk mechanism that is amplified among individuals with higher levels of neuroticism. In contrast, authentic self-presentation on social networking sites reduces fear of missing out primarily through enhanced basic psychological needs satisfaction.