12

Chapter 2
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Review of Related Literature

Theoretical Framework

The study utilizes the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory as its theoretical

framework to investigate the impact of FOMO on tourists' impulsive purchasing decisions using

User-Generated Content (UGC). The response—also known as behavior—is the final component

in the S-O-R model (Kamboj et al., 2018). This study established a claim that the mediating

mechanism of FOMO (organism) influences tourists' impulsive buying (response) within user-

generated content or social media in general (environment).

Over the years, several research on consumer behavior have relied on the Stimulus-

Organism-Response (SOR) model (Russell and Pratt, 1980). Anything that could potentially

awaken consumers or encourage them to take certain actions is known as a stimulus. An external

element that encourages a shopper to make impulsive purchases is referred to as a stimulus in the

context of consumer choices (Chan et al., 2017). On the other hand, "organism" describes the

consumers' emotional state and encompasses their physiological, perceptual, emotional, and

cognitive processes (Sherman et al., 1997). In its final form, "response" describes the behavioral

actions of consumers that come from their assessment of their surroundings and emotions.

According to several research, environmental signals can encourage consumers to make impulsive

purchases (Chang et al., 2011; Floh and Madlberger, 2013). (Ninh Do, Shih, & Ha, 2020)

According to the S-O-R framework, environmental cues have an impact on people's

affective (feeling) and cognitive (perception) reactions, which in turn have an impact on their
 13

behavior (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974; Lee and Yun, 2015; Wu and Li, 2018). Marketing and/or

situational stimuli are examples of stimuli that stimulate consumers (Chan et al., 2017; Kamboj et

al., 2018). A person's emotional and cognitive states are a representation of the organism, which is

their internal state (Basha et al., 2022). Additionally, it is considered a transitional condition

between the stimulus and the reaction (Zheng et al., 2019). (Zhang, Jiang, Turner, & Pahlevan-

Sharif, 2022)

With this idea, the organism (the tourist) reacts internally to an external stimulus, such as user-

generated content (UGC) that highlights pleasurable travel experiences. The tourist's internal state,

which is impacted by their degree of FOMO in this instance, mediates this reaction. The greater

the FOMO, the more probable it is that the visitor will feel compelled to engage in the experiences

portrayed in the user-generated content.

Conceptual Framework
Materialism

Social Media
Usage
(SMU)
H1 Fear-of- H6
missing-out
(FOMO)

H4

H2 Impulsive
Buying
Tendency
Electronic
Word-of-
mouth H7
(E-WOM) Actual
Impulsive
Buying
Behavior
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Hypotheses Development
H1: Social Media Usage (SMU) and Fear-of-missing-out (FOMO)
H1a. Increased social media usage (SMU) intensifies fear-of-missing-out (FOMO).
H1b. The highlights of other people's life are frequently displayed on social media
platforms, which could heighten FOMO as people fear they are missing out on
worthwhile trips.
H2: Social Media Usage (SMU) and Electronic Word-of-mouth (E-WOM)
H2a. Increased use of social media (SMU) enables electronic word-of-mouth (E-
WOM) to spread throughout.
H2b. Social media gives people the ability to share their thoughts and experiences
with a large audience, which increases the reach of E-WOM.
H3: Electronic Word-of-mouth (E-WOM) and Actual Impulsive Buying Behavior
H3a. Exposure to electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM) enhances actual impulsive
buying behavior.
H3b. Unplanned purchases may be prompted by online platform recommendations
and reviews, especially when goods or services are displayed in a favorable context.
H4: Fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) and Impulsive Buying Tendency
H4a. Heightened levels of fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) contribute to an increased
tendency toward impulsive buying.
H4b. A sense of urgency brought on by FOMO can cause people to make unplanned
purchases in an effort to feel included in desirable activities.
H5: Fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) and Actual Impulsive Buying Behavior
H5a. Elevated fear-of-missing-out (FOMO) directly influences actual impulsive
buying behavior.
H5b. Individuals experiencing FOMO may act on this feeling by engaging in
impulsive buying as a way to cope with or alleviate their anxiety about missing out.
H6: Materialism and Fear-of-missing-out (FOMO)
H6a. A high level of materialism intensifies fear-of-missing-out (FOMO).
H6b. Tourists with materialistic values may experience greater FOMO, as they
place significant importance on acquiring possessions and experiences that others
appear to enjoy.
 15

H7: Impulsive Buying Tendency and Actual Impulsive Buying Behavior

H7a. A strong tendency toward impulsive buying leads to increased actual
impulsive buying behavior.
H7b. Impulsive buyers are more likely to follow through on their terms and make
unplanned purchases.

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