IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT ON ATTENTION SPAN AMONG YOUNG ADULTS: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF FEAR OF MISSING OUT

Authors

  • Iqra Tu Zahra Department of Applied Psychology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan
  • Malik Mureed Hussain Department of Applied Psychology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan
  • Abaid Ur Rehman Department of Applied Psychology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan
  • Tahira Rafiq Department of Education, International Islamaic University, Islamabad

Abstract

This study examined how social media involvement influences attention spans in young adults, emphasizing the role of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) as an intervening variable. A total of 220 participants completed standardized questionnaires regarding their levels of social media use, mind wandering, and FoMO. The data were analyzed through SPSS, which involved correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation analysis. The results suggest that increasing social media use is linked with more mind wandering, hinting at a diminishing of sustained attention. Moreover, analysis also, confirmed that social media involvement negatively impacts attention, and mediation analyses showed that FoMO partially explains this relationship. These findings suggest that emotional drivers like FoMO influence how digital habits shape cognitive focus. Addressing FoMO may therefore be key to improving attention in educational and mental health settings. This study contributes in the body of knowledge with regard to digital behavior and highlights FoMO impact in young adults.

Keywords: Social media Engagement, attention span, FoMO, young adults, Digital behavior

Downloads

Published

2025-07-04

How to Cite

Iqra Tu Zahra, Malik Mureed Hussain, Abaid Ur Rehman, & Tahira Rafiq. (2025). IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT ON ATTENTION SPAN AMONG YOUNG ADULTS: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF FEAR OF MISSING OUT . Policy Journal of Social Science Review, 3(7), 56–65. Retrieved from https://policyjssr.com/index.php/PJSSR/article/view/363

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 7 (2025): Policy Journal of Social Science Review

Section

Articles