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behavior through three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and
relatedness. When these needs are not adequately satisfied, individuals may experience
motivational tension that may lead to compensatory behaviors aimed at restoring
psychological balance.
Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is defined as a pervasive apprehension that others
might be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent (Przybylski et al., 2013).
Within the SDT framework, FOMO is often associated with unmet relatedness needs and
intensified social comparison in digitally connected environments. On social media and
online platforms, users are frequently exposed to curated content about others’ lifestyles,
health practices, and consumption behaviors, which can amplify feelings of social
comparison and psychological urgency.
In the context of online health consumption - particularly among Generation Z, who
are highly active on digital platforms - FOMO may increase attention to others’ health-
related behaviors and influence individuals’ perceptions of health risks and preventive
actions. Therefore, this study integrates FOMO into the extended Health Belief Model
(eHBM) to explain how socio-digital psychological factors reshape health beliefs and
influence online purchase intention. In the attention economy, algorithm-driven content
recommendation systems can further amplify social signals and health-related
information, intensifying FOMO and encouraging faster consumption decisions,
particularly for dietary supplements widely promoted on online platforms.
2.2. Hypotheses and research model
2.2.1. The impact of FOMO on eHBM constructs
In the context of a digital economy driven by algorithms and the high level of social
media usage among Generation Z, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is not only an individual
psychological mechanism but also a phenomenon amplified by digital platform
environments. Algorithm-based content recommendation systems, personalized
advertising, and push notifications on social media and e-commerce platforms often
prioritize displaying content that is “trending,” scarce, or highly endorsed by others.
These mechanisms intensify social comparison, time pressure, and the fear of missing
attractive consumption opportunities (Groenestein et al., 2024); (Bui My et al., 2021).
Within social commerce and live commerce environments, real-time interaction
signals such as view counts, comments, order volumes, and “crowd buying” effects create
a consumption context that is simultaneously social and commercial. In such settings,
FOMO may function as a psychological mechanism mediating the relationship between
digital platform stimuli and consumer behavioral responses, particularly rapid or
impulsive purchasing decisions (Adyantari et al., 2025); (Abas et al., 2025). Furthermore,
recent studies suggest that artificial intelligence enables platforms to optimize displayed
content and personalize marketing messages based on user behavior, thereby increasing
users’ exposure to product information and social signals related to consumption
(Enginkaya et al., 2025); (Mulla Ali et al., 2025).
From a health behavior perspective, algorithm-driven digital consumption
environments frequently expose users - especially Gen Z - to health-related content,
product recommendations, and personalized advertisements for dietary supplements.
According to the Health Belief Model (HBM), the decision to perform a health-related
behavior is influenced by perceptions such as perceived susceptibility, perceived severity,
perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, and cues to action. In this context,
FOMO may influence how consumers interpret health information, potentially increasing

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