Interpretation bias in Fear of Missing Out: Behavioral and ERP evidences

Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is a subtype of anxiety. It is common in daily life and is associated with various negative effects. While previous research has explored how interpretation bias impacts anxiety, studies specifically on FoMO are limited. The present study recruited 61 participants, including 31 participants with high FoMO and 30 with low FoMO. All participants completed a modified Sentence Word Association Paradigm (SWAP) with combined behavioral data and event-related potential (ERP) recordings. We analyzed the endorsement rate and reaction time for different interpretations, along with the N400 and P600 components. Results showed that compared to the low FoMO group, individuals with high FoMO were less likely to endorse positive interpretations. They also responded more quickly when endorsing negative interpretations and rejecting positive interpretations. Furthermore, the high FoMO group exhibited a stronger N400 amplitude when processing positive interpretations. These findings suggest that individuals with high FoMO exhibit an implicit bias toward negative interpretations and a relative deficiency in both implicit and explicit positive interpretation biases, and they may have greater expectations and acceptance of negative information. This study offers important insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying FoMO and provides a valuable foundation for future intervention research.