Caught in the Scroll: A Psycholinguistic Exploration of FOMO and Viral Language Among Gen Z on Social Media
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Mar 31, 2025
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Abstract
This study examines the psycholinguistic aspects of the FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, phenomenon in the context of viral language on social media, especially TikTok, Instagram, and X, formerly known as Twitter. Generation Z, born in the digital era, shows strong emotional and behavioural responses to viral content. With a qualitative approach, this study analyses multimodal texts such as captions, hashtags, audio, and visual elements that give rise to a sense of urgency, social inclusion, and emotional resonance. The results show that viral language patterns, when combined with synchronous visual and audio elements and celebrity influence, significantly trigger FOMO-based engagement. In addition, parasocial relationships and cultural validation play an important role in shaping users' behaviour, especially in the K-pop fan community. This study provides psycholinguistic insights into how language on social media is processed, internalised, and replicated by Gen Z audiences. In conclusion, critical awareness is needed regarding the psychological impact of viral discourse and its influence on identity formation and digital well-being
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Saleh, E. F., & Sarjit Singh, A. D. M. K. A. (2025). Caught in the Scroll: A Psycholinguistic Exploration of FOMO and Viral Language Among Gen Z on Social Media. Journal of Research and Multidisciplinary, 8(1), 1044-1055. https://doi.org/10.5281/jrm.v8i1.111
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References
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Altarriba, J., & Basnight-Brown, D. M. (2011). The acquisition of emotion words in a second language: The role of words in the expression of feelings. In T. Pavlenko (Ed.), Thinking and speaking in two languages (pp. 125–149). Multilingual Matters.
Altikriti, S. (2021). Persuasive linguistic strategies in social media: A study of viral language and emotional appeals. Journal of Language and Communication, 8(2), 45–61.
Bányai, F., Zsila, Á., Király, O., Maraz, A., Elekes, Z., Griffiths, M. D., & Demetrovics, Z. (2021). Problematic social media use: Results from a large-scale nationally representative adolescent sample. PLOS ONE, 16(1), e0243894. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243894
Bayer, J. B., Triệu, P., & Ellison, N. B. (2020). Social media elements, ecologies, and effects. Annual Review of Psychology, 71(1), 471–497. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-050944
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806
Citron, F. M. M., Gray, M. A., Critchley, H. D., Weekes, B. S., & Ferstl, E. C. (2020). Emotional valence and arousal affect reading in an interactive way: Neuroimaging evidence for an integrative model of affective word processing. Neuropsychologia, 137, 107292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107292
de la Vega, I., Graebener, J., & Schmehl, S. (2021). Emotional salience in language: The influence of affective word content on memory and attention. Cognition and Emotion, 35(3), 421–437. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2020.1828827
Dörnyei, Z., & Ryan, S. (2015). The psychology of the language learner revisited. Routledge.
Elhai, J. D., Yang, H., & Montag, C. (2021). Fear of missing out (FOMO): Overview, theoretical underpinnings, and literature review on relations with severity of negative affect, problematic phone use, and online social networking site use. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 43(2), 203–209. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-4446-2020-0870
Eriksson, G. (2020). The persuasive power of viral language: Metadiscourse and social media trends. Discourse, Context & Media, 37, 100443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2020.100443
Fromm, J., & Read, A. (2018). Marketing to Gen Z: The rules for reaching this vast--and very different--generation of influencers. AMACOM.
Harley, T. A. (2014). The psychology of language: From data to theory (4th ed.). Psychology Press.
Jones, R., & Bunting, L. (2021). Emotion in the age of virality: How social media platforms shape affective communication. Social Media + Society, 7(4), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211058452
Kiss, A., Lantos, T., & Kállai, J. (2023). Emotional language processing in digital environments: A psycholinguistic perspective. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 35(1), 43–58. https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2022.2129690
Kissler, J., Herbert, C., Peyk, P., & Junghofer, M. (2007). Buzzwords: Early cortical responses to emotional words during reading. Psychological Science, 18(6), 475–480. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01924.x
Koban, K., Weder, F., & Stark, B. (2021). Emotion and language in digital communication: A systematic review. New Media & Society, 23(4), 901–921. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820912547
Li, L., Griffiths, M. D., Niu, G., & Mei, S. (2022). Fear of missing out and smartphone addiction mediates the relationship between social media use and depression among college students. Current Psychology, 41, 4825–4835. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01155-8
Lindgren, S. (2020). Data theory: Interpretive sociology and computational methods. Polity Press.
Lodder, G. M. A., van Royen, K., & Vossen, H. G. M. (2022). Social media and fear of missing out: A systematic review. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45, 101317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.12.013
Lüdtke, J., & Jacobs, A. M. (2015). The emotion potential of simple sentences: Additive or interactive effects of nouns and adjectives? Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1137. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01137
Nguyen, T., & Sun, Y. (2020). Emotional appeal in viral marketing messages: The role of linguistic features and user engagement. Computers in Human Behavior, 105, 106221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106221
Park, S., & Lee, J. Y. (2021). Parasocial relationships and consumption: The mediating role of FOMO. Media Psychology, 24(6), 817–838. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2020.1858484
Pavlenko, A. (2012). Affective processing in bilingual speakers: Disembodied cognition? International Journal of Psychology, 47(6), 405–428. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207594.2012.743665
Przybylski, A. K., Murayama, K., DeHaan, C. R., & Gladwell, V. (2013). Motivational, emotional, and behavioural correlates of fear of missing out. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1841–1848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.02.014
Tagg, C. (2022). Memes, virality, and linguistic creativity in digital discourse. Discourse, Context & Media, 47, 100562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcm.2022.100562
Tagg, C., Seargeant, P., & Brown, A. (2017). Taking offence on social media: Conviviality and communication on Facebook. Convergence, 23(4), 418–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856516646372
Traxler, M. J. (2012). Introduction to psycholinguistics: Understanding language science. Wiley-Blackwell.
Turner, A. (2015). Generation Z: Technology and social interest. The Journal of Individual Psychology, 71(2), 103–113.
Wolniewicz, C. A., Raines, A. M., Rimstad, R., & Schmidt, N. B. (2023). The mediating role of FOMO in the relationship between social media engagement and psychological distress. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 42(3), 177–192. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2023.42.3.177
Zhang, M., Zhao, K., & Wang, X. (2023). The impact of fear of missing out on social media product promotions: Evidence from behavioural and neurocognitive data. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 22(1), 34–46. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2102