Article: The impact of fear of missing out on conspicuous consumption: the mediating role of self-esteem Journal: International Journal of Economics and Business Research (IJEBR) 2025 Vol.29 No.18 pp.1 - 19 Abstract: This study probes how the fear of missing out (FOMO) shapes status-oriented purchasing and assesses self-esteem as an explanatory mechanism alongside gender as a boundary condition. Employing purposive sampling, we gathered 561 valid questionnaires from employed adults in mainland China. Structural-equation modelling shows that FOMO directly bolsters conspicuous buying, whereas robust self-esteem dampens it. FOMO also erodes self-esteem, which partially conveys its influence on conspicuous consumption. Tests for moderation indicate that these pathways are essentially the same for men and women. Taken together, the findings reveal that social-media-driven anxiety fuels conspicuous spending both outright and through diminished self-esteem, while gender exerts little additional impact. The work enriches understanding of the psychological engines behind conspicuous consumption and offers practical guidance for marketers and consumer-education initiatives aimed at encouraging more considered purchasing behaviour. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: The impact of fear of missing out on conspicuous consumption: the mediating role of self-esteem

Authors: Zhi-Wei Jiang; Shu-Ya Chang

Addresses: College of Economics and Management, Hezhou University, Hezhou, China ' Chinese International College, Dhurakij Pundit University, Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract: This study probes how the fear of missing out (FOMO) shapes status-oriented purchasing and assesses self-esteem as an explanatory mechanism alongside gender as a boundary condition. Employing purposive sampling, we gathered 561 valid questionnaires from employed adults in mainland China. Structural-equation modelling shows that FOMO directly bolsters conspicuous buying, whereas robust self-esteem dampens it. FOMO also erodes self-esteem, which partially conveys its influence on conspicuous consumption. Tests for moderation indicate that these pathways are essentially the same for men and women. Taken together, the findings reveal that social-media-driven anxiety fuels conspicuous spending both outright and through diminished self-esteem, while gender exerts little additional impact. The work enriches understanding of the psychological engines behind conspicuous consumption and offers practical guidance for marketers and consumer-education initiatives aimed at encouraging more considered purchasing behaviour.

Keywords: fear of missing out; FOMO; conspicuous consumption; mediating role; self-esteem; gender.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2025.149392

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2025 Vol.29 No.18, pp.1 - 19

Received: 12 Jun 2025
Accepted: 02 Sep 2025
Published online: 28 Oct 2025 *

Title: The impact of fear of missing out on conspicuous consumption: the mediating role of self-esteem

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