THE EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE EFFECTS OF FEAR OF MISSING OUT ON DECISION DELAY AMONG GENERATION Z CONSUMERS

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), decision difficulty, and decision postponement among Generation Z males and females. In the current digital era, Gen Z consumers spend much of their time online, where exposure to social media triggers FOMO, leading to emotional stress and uncertainty in making purchasing decisions. The research aims to analyze how FOMO influences decision postponement through decision difficulty and to identify gender-based differences in these relationships. Using a quantitative approach with purposive sampling, data were collected from 873 respondents across both genders and analyzed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that FOMO has a significant positive effect on decision difficulty but does not directly influence decision postponement. Instead, FOMO indirectly affects decision postponement through decision difficulty. Furthermore, gender differences emerged: males showed a stronger relationship between FOMO and decision difficulty, while females demonstrated a stronger relationship between decision difficulty and decision postponement. The study contributes to consumer behavior theory by highlighting the mediating role of cognitive factors in emotional influences like FOMO. Practically, it suggests that marketers should design simpler and gender-sensitive digital strategies to reduce decision pressure and enhance confident purchasing decisions among Gen Z consumers.