How does FOMO exists in Times of Crisis?

Authors

  • Anisa Larasati Management Department, Binus University, Bekasi, Indonesia
  • Leo Andri Yulius Caesar Management Department, Binus University, Bekasi, Indonesia
  • Sevenpri Candra Management Department, Binus University, Bekasi, Indonesia
  • Kok Loang Ooi Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia
  • Andreas Wijaya Management Department, Binus University, Bekasi, Indonesia
  • Oktafalia Marisa Muzammil Management Department, Binus University, Bekasi, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38035/dijemss.v8i1.6788

Keywords:

Perceived Risk, Crisis Consumption, Gift-Giving, Fear of Missing Out, Pandemic Marketing

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic altered social interactions, where people could not gather together and celebrate social events. Individuals perceived that the risk of social gathering is deemed greater than the benefit, thus they choose to avoid physical interactions. At the same time, people do not want to miss out on social updates and still want to express their care for one another. This creates an increase in social media usage. One way to show affection without being physically present is through gift-giving. An interesting phenomenon during this period was the increasing practice of gift-giving and sharing these experiences through social media. This study analyzes the relationship between perceived risk and gift-giving purchase intention, with Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) examined as a mediating mechanism. A quantitative research design was utilized, employing an online survey disseminated to 139 participants well-versed in e-commerce platforms. Purposive sampling was employed to identify consumers who are actively engaged in digital environments. The analysis of data was conducted utilizing SPSS and SPSS PROCESS by Hayes. The results show that both cognitive and affective risk perceptions are positively associated with gift-giving purchase intention. In addition, FOMO significantly mediates the relationship between perceived risk and gift-giving purchase intention. Cognitive risk perception shows a stronger direct association with gift-giving purchase intention than affective risk perception, whereas the indirect effect through FOMO is slightly stronger for affective risk perception than for cognitive risk perception. This study offers innovative perspectives by framing FOMO as the psychological conduit that translates risk perception into prosocial consumption behavior. This work theoretically broadens the scope of risk and consumer behavior literature by incorporating emotional factors and the social dynamics of the digital age. Marketers can effectively utilize these insights by crafting strategies that highlight safety, personalization, and social sharing elements, while ethically employing FOMO-based appeals to mitigate adverse psychological effects. The research underscores the potential for both the luxury and necessity gift sectors to tactically promote gifting as a means of fostering digital social connections in times of crisis.

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Published

2026-10-20

How to Cite

Larasati, A., Caesar, L. A. Y., Candra, S., Ooi, K. L., Wijaya, A., & Muzammil, O. M. (2026). How does FOMO exists in Times of Crisis?. Dinasti International Journal of Education Management and Social Science, 8(1), 561–573. https://doi.org/10.38035/dijemss.v8i1.6788

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Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026): Dinasti International Journal of Education Management and Social Science (October - November 2026)

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Copyright (c) 2026 Anisa Larasati, Leo Andri Yulius Caesar, Sevenpri Candra, Kok Loang Ooi, Andreas Wijaya, Oktafalia Marisa Muzammil

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