| Summary: | Across the multitude of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) research, the common notion is that FoMO is a dispositional trait which is generally stable over time. However, provided FoMO is conceptualized as a form of an anxiety regarding the concern one is absent from a rewarding experience, and how anxiety is quantified as both a state and trait, FoMO could also be studied as a behavioral state. Moreover, research has proposed situational factors, such as the level of entertainment one is currently experiencing, could influence the extent someone experiences FoMO at that moment. This in turn, suggests temporary fluctuations in FoMO severity occur and viewing FoMO merely as a trait is not adequate. To measure state FoMO, the State Fear of Missing Out Inventory (SFoMOI) was developed. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted and derived a one-factor unidimensional scale of 8 items. Support for convergent, discriminate, and criterion validity was found, and the SFoMOI was sensitive to detect differences in participants primed for the experience of FoMO and those who were not. Lastly, the measure had excellent internal reliability. Suggestions for future use and limitations of the SFoMOI are outlined.
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