Distraction or motivation? Unraveling the role of fear of missing out on college students’ learning engagement

Abstract Background Despite the recognition of the impact of Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) on learning engagement, research conclusions remain inconsistent. This inconsistency may be due to a lack of exploration of the underlying mechanisms and the singularity of research perspectives. Methods Drawing from motivational dynamics model for learning engagement, this study investigated the relationship between FoMO and learning engagement from both variable-centered and person-centered perspectives, and further explored the mediating role of self-control. A total of 1,510 college students from eastern China were selected via an online platform, including 642 males and 868 females. Results The results from the variable-centered analysis indicated that FoMO had a significant positive direct effect on learning engagement (effect = 0.293, 95% CI = [0.185, 0.401]). FoMO negatively predicted self-control, which in turn had a negative impact on learning engagement (effect = -0.375, 95% CI = [-0.456, -0.295]). This suggests that self-control acts as a masking effect between FoMO and learning engagement. The person-centered results suggest the presence of four latent profiles of FoMO: the low trait-FoMO low state-FoMO group, the high trait-FoMO low state-FoMO group, the low trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group, and the high trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group. Specifically, compared to the low trait-FoMO low state-FoMO group, self-control acts as a masking role between the low trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group, the high trait-FoMO high state-FoMO group and learning engagement. Conclusions FoMO exhibits a “dual-edged sword effect”. Educators should adopt diverse instructional methods to leverage the positive aspects of FoMO while guiding students in self-control training to mitigate its negative effects to enhance college students’ learning engagement.