DOES SOCIAL MEDIA REDUCE OR INTENSIFY SOCIAL ISOLATION? A SOCIO-LEGAL MODERATED MEDIATION ANALYSIS OF FOMO, EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND DIGITAL RIGHTS AMONG YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract

This study examines whether social media use reduces or intensifies social isolation among young adults by advancing a moderated mediation framework that integrates psychological, social, and socio-legal dimensions. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory, Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) is conceptualized as a key mediating mechanism linking social media use to social isolation, while emotional intelligence, perceived social support, and digital rights awareness are modeled as moderating variables.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 420 young adults aged 18–30 years. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with AMOS and SmartPLS. The results indicate that social media use is positively associated with FoMO, which in turn significantly predicts higher levels of social isolation. Mediation analysis confirms that FoMO partially explains the relationship between social media use and social isolation. Moderation findings reveal that emotional intelligence, perceived social support, and digital rights awareness significantly attenuate the impact of FoMO on social isolation. Furthermore, moderated mediation analysis demonstrates that the indirect effect of social media use on social isolation via FoMO is stronger among individuals with lower levels of emotional, social, and digital resilience.

The study contributes to the literature by offering a theoretically integrated and empirically robust model that moves beyond linear assumptions to explain the conditional effects of social media on well-being. By incorporating digital rights awareness as a socio-legal construct, it extends existing frameworks and highlights the role of structural and regulatory factors in shaping digital experiences. The findings underscore the need for multi-level interventions, including emotional intelligence development, strengthening of social support systems, and promotion of digital literacy and rights awareness, to mitigate the adverse effects of social media use.