FoMO: Being Hooked On The Networks For Fear Of Missing Something
The fear of missing out, known by the acronym FoMO (Fear of Missing Out), can be defined as a generalized apprehension of being absent from rewarding experiences in which others are participating
This syndrome is characterized by the desire to be continually connected to what others are doing, which often involves spending a large amount of time on social networks.
Participating in social networks becomes an effective option for those people who want to be continually connected with what is happening.
Self-determination theory gives us insight into human psychological needs and is an interesting point of view to understand FoMO.
According to this theory, effective self-regulation and psychological health are based on the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Competence is the ability to act effectively in the world, autonomy consists of having one’s own authorship or personal initiative, and relatedness is defined as the need for closeness or connection with others.
According to this point of view, the FoMO phenomenon can be understood as a system of self-regulation of a chronic deficit in the satisfaction of psychological needs
Following this line, low levels of satisfaction of our basic needs would be related to FoMO and participation in social networks in two ways.
On the one hand, there would be a direct connection between individuals with low levels of satisfaction and participation in social networks these being a resource to stay in touch with others, a tool to develop social competence and an opportunity to deepen social ties.
For the other, the connection between participation in social networks and the satisfaction of basic needs would also be indirect, that is, through FoMO. Given that need deficits could lead some people to a general susceptibility to the fear of missing out, it is possible that these unresolved psychological needs are connected to social media use only to the extent that they are connected to social media use. the FoMO. Put another way, fear of missing out could serve as a mediator connecting gaps in psychological needs to social media use.
We can track about 150 people
According to anthropologist Robin Dumbar, the number of people who can interact in a given system is conditioned by the size of our cerebral neocortex, so in the case of our species we would be talking about about 150 individuals
Our current brain is not very different from the brain of our prehistoric ancestors. These ancestors lived in clans of approximately 150 individuals, so our brain would have evolved to keep in touch with this number of people.
As a matter of fact, according to a 2011 estimate, a Facebook user has an average of about 150 “friends” and a friend of any user has, on average, 635 followers.
Considering that the size of our cerebral neocortex is what it is, we can ask ourselves if these relationships are as real as we sometimes believe
Not all forms of social interaction are the same
We are social animals, that is something confirmed. We have a series of emotional and belonging needs that must be satisfied, we nourish ourselves from the relationship with others in the same way that we nourish ourselves from the food we eat. However, Just as not all foods offer the same quality in their nutrients, neither are all forms of relationships equal You can be obese and malnourished at the same time because the quantity of kcal is not synonymous with the quality of the diet.
Continuing with this comparison we could see certain uses of social networks as the fast food of human relationships.
The Anglo-Saxons have a term known as “quality time” which refers not so much to the amount of time that people spend with their loved ones but to the quality of this time. This quality time would be the gourmet meal of social relationships.
Spending too much time on the networks can harm our well-being
Some research suggests that digital media can have a diminishing effect on self-reflection and ultimately decrease well-being
This phenomenon of always being in communication that communication technologies offer us could distract us from important social experiences in the here and now. In Plato’s words, it would be like preferring the shadows of the cave to the reality outside.
This syndrome can be a source of discouragement or depressive feelings partly because it reduces the feeling one has of making the best decisions in one’s life.
Better to repent before
Bronnie Were wrote a book titled “The Five Regrets of the Dying” in which she describes the main lessons she learned from the people she treated as a palliative care professional.
Apparently Most people, at the end of their lives, regret not having done what they really wanted to do Instead of what others expected of them, it is also common to regret not having had the courage to express one’s feelings or not having spent time with old friends.
In short, it seems that we regret what we have not done more than what we have done. It is therefore advisable to often ask ourselves if we are using our time in the way that makes us truly happy – always within our possibilities.
The avoidance of discomfort can lead us to a compulsion for networks
Research on the motivations for the use of social networks indicates that Avoiding unpleasant feelings such as loneliness or boredom compels the use of Facebook
Similarly, lack of satisfaction with our relationships would lead us to use networks. We can conclude that social networks constitute an escape route for emotional and social frustration. Compulsively escaping from discomfort is a tendency that is at the basis of most addictive behaviors (not to mention that it is at the root of most emotional disorders).
A vicious circle is generated: discomfort leads to compulsive behavior, which temporarily frees us from discomfort but makes this compulsion become addictive through a learning mechanism – often unconscious – known as negative reinforcement. Repeating this over and over again generates less tolerance for discomfort and a greater need for the compulsive habit.
Beyond the psychological dangers – and although it may be obvious – it is worth remembering that an overwhelming desire to be constantly connected is potentially dangerous when this leads people to check the networks even when driving.
To choose is to give up
Human beings have an intellect that allows them to make decisions with a wider range of options than any other known species. This represents a great evolutionary advantage but it is also a source of headaches because the moment I choose between A and B, if I opt for A I am giving up B. This means that if we only have time and money to study one race we will have to give up the other possible options.
In the same way, If we are not connected to the networks because we are doing something else, we could be missing something And, by the way, if we spend a lot of time on the networks we could be missing out on life because (let’s not forget), we are not going to live forever.
