Belonging at a Click: A Correlational Study on the Fear of Missing Out and Facebook Intensity Usage

This study examined the relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and Facebook Intensity Usage among undergraduate students at Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology. Anchored in the Belongingness Hypothesis and Information Foraging Theory, the study aimed to determine whether heightened FoMO corresponds to increased emotional and behavioral engagement with Facebook. Using a descriptive correlational design, data were collected from 105 Facebook users (73.5% female, 26.5% male; <I>M</I> age = 20.28, <I>SD</I> = 1.30) via purposive and snowball sampling. Standardized measures, the FoMO Scale (α =.91) and Facebook Intensity Scale (α =.80-.83) were administered through an online questionnaire. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a moderately positive and statistically significant relationship between FoMO and Facebook Intensity Usage (<i>r</i> =.376, <i>p</i> <.001). The findings support the hypothesis that individuals with elevated FoMO are more likely to engage intensively with Facebook, underscoring the psychological need for social connection and information access in digital contexts. Implications for media literacy and online behavior regulation are discussed.