RESEARCH_FILE
Andrew K. Przybylski
University of Oxford
Known for:Defining and measuring fear of missing out (FoMO) and studying how technology use relates to psychological needs and well-being
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“If I log off, I'll miss something”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“The better version of tonight is not a fact I can verify from my screen.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Put your phone on airplane mode for eight minutes and place it in a different room. When you return, jot down the actual sounds, objects, or conversations that were still here without you checking.
Key findings
- 2013
Developed the first validated FoMO scale and found that fear of missing out was highest among people whose basic psychological needs — relatedness, competence, and autonomy — were least satisfied, framing FoMO as a signal of unmet needs rather than mere habit. Motivational, Emotional, and Behavioral Correlates of Fear of Missing Out ↗
- 2013
In the same work, FoMO was linked to more negative affect and to problematic patterns of engagement — such as checking during meals or driving — offering an account of why the alarm drives compulsive checking rather than blaming individual willpower. Motivational, Emotional, and Behavioral Correlates of Fear of Missing Out ↗