TITLE:
The Effectiveness of “Fear of Missing Out” Inducing Content in Facebook Advertisements
AUTHORS:
Dalina Weideinger, Alastair McClelland, Adrian Furnham
KEYWORDS:
Facebook, FOMO, Memory, Gender, Online Advertisement
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.12 No.5,
May
31,
2021
ABSTRACT: This study aimed to extend previous findings by investigating whether the inclusion of a “Fear of missing out” (FOMO) message in Facebook advertisements improves memory for the advertisements. In all, 200 participants (121 females and 79 males) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. In one condition, they were exposed to a simulated Facebook news-feed including a selection of five advertisements which included FOMO inducing content. In the other condition, participants were exposed to the same five advertisements but without FOMO inducing content. It was found that memory overall, as well as recall and recognition memory for the advertisements, was better when the FOMO content was present. Overall memory and recognition memory for advertisement information was better for females than males in both the FOMO and no FOMO conditions. Males had better overall memory and recognition for advertisement information with FOMO inducing content compared to advertisement information without FOMO inducing content. Implications and limitations are acknowledged.