From comparison to isolation

: how social media influencers drive FOMO, phubbing behavior, social withdrawal, and mental health outcomes

Abstract

This study explores the psychological and behavioral outcomes of engaging with social media influencers (SMIs), comparing these experiences between human and virtual influencers. Relying on Social Comparison Theory and Social Interaction Theory, the research investigates how social comparison and the fear of missing out influence phubbing behavior, social withdrawal, and mental health wellbeing. A survey-based approach was used to collect data, being after analyzed using the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that followers of human influencers engage in upward social comparison, which increases FOMO. In turn, FOMO was found to increase phubbing and decrease mental health wellbeing. Also, the findings reveal that the impact that social media influencers have on followers of virtual influencers is slightly positive when it comes to mental health outcomes, comparing to followers of human influencers. While previous research has primarily focused on the impact of human influencers, this study contributes to new findings by enabling a comparison between human and virtual influencers, while also offering practical guidance for marketers. The study concludes with implications for content design, platform strategies, and future research directions.

Date of Award	4 Jul 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Susana Silva (Supervisor) & Rania B. Mostafa (Co-Supervisor)