Understanding the feeling of missing out: a temporal perspective

Abstract

Research to date has explored the feeling (or fear) of missing out phenomenon from different temporal perspectives, as an instant feeling about missing out on current activities and as a retrospective feeling about missing out on past events. Combining the two research streams, we conceptualize and distinguish the two types of feelings of missing out with different temporal orientations based on the circumplex model of affect. We show that both feelings are negative in valence, yet the feeling of missing out related to ongoing activities indicates a higher arousal and a stronger affective state. We also investigate the coping efforts with these feelings of missing out and show that individuals may rely on both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies. Theoretical and well-being implications of the findings are discussed.