Development and Validation of the Fomsumerism Scale (FOMS): A New Measure for Fear of Missing Out-Driven Consumerism

Abstract

In an increasingly digital world, shopping and virtual dynamics have converged, leading people to shop online for various reasons. Recently, a new concept has emerged: purchasing driven by Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), leading to the phenomenon of “Fomsumerism,” a fusion of “FoMO” and “consumerism.” In the literature, Fomsumerism is typically measured by separately assessing FoMO and consumerism-related factors, with an assumed correlation between them. Given the absence of an integrated tool, this article describes the development and validation of the FOMS (Fomsumerism) scale, designed to capture the most recognized factors in online consumption behaviors driven by FoMO. The study examined the connections between FOMS scores, FoMO, and Need for Online Social Feedback (NfOSF). In the first study, we included 397 Italian-speaking participants (55.9% female) with an average age of 26.83 years (SD = 9.39). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed a four-factor structure, identifying the dimensions of self-determination, social comparison, social belongingness, and personal agency. The second study included 418 Italian-speaking participants (63.2% female) with an average age of 29.27 years (SD = 11.57). The four-factor structure demonstrated strong reliability for each subscale and was confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The study found a positive but not fully overlapping link between FoMO and Fomsumerism, indicating that FoMO is a construct distinct from Fomsumerism. Additionally, FOMS scores showed positive associations with NfOSF outcomes, highlighting that as the perceived need for feedback increases, so does the tendency to display purchases on social media to receive it. Overall, the FOMS Scale proved to be a valid and reliable tool for measuring FoMO-induced purchase propensity in a comprehensive and integrated manner.