This study examines the role of income level on Green Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and its influence on green purchase decisions among working adults in Malaysia. The research adopts a conceptual approach by synthesizing findings from previous empirical and theoretical studies to explain the relationships among the key variables. Green FoMO is identified as an emotional driver that intensifies consumers’ urgency to engage in environmentally responsible consumption due to social comparison and perceived exclusion. Income level is conceptualized as a critical socioeconomic factor that determines consumers’ financial capability to translate intention into actual purchasing behavior. The study integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior and Trait Theory to provide a comprehensive explanation of both rational and emotional influences on green consumption. Findings suggest that higher income enhances perceived behavioral control and strengthens responsiveness to Green FoMO stimuli. Green purchase intention is identified as a key mediating factor linking income level and Green FoMO to green purchase behavior. Social media exposure is found to amplify Green FoMO by reinforcing sustainable consumption norms and increasing perceived urgency. The study contributes to literature by bridging economic and psychological perspectives in explaining sustainable consumption behavior among working adults.
Abdrabbo, T., Omeish, F., Kokash, F., Alghizzawi, M., & Alfaiza, S. A. (2025). The impact of scarcity and uniqueness on luxury products purchasing intention moderated by FoMO and social comparison. Discover Sustainability, 6(1), 857.
Ahmad, I., Inayat, K., Ali, M. A., Hayee, R., & Azhar, R. (2024). Navigating fear of missing out in sustainable consumption: the role of brand passion and green consumer values in obsessive-compulsive buying. Qlantic Journal of Social Sciences, 5(4), 250-264.
Ahuja, S., & Grover, K. (2023). Excessive use of social networking sites and intention to invest in stock market among Gen Z: A parallel mediation model. Journal of Content, Community and Communication, 17(9), 63-79.
Alfoqahaa, S. (2025). A moderated model of the relationship between consumers’ need for uniqueness and purchase intention of luxury fashion brands. Future Business Journal, 11(1), 269.
Amponsah, S. O., & Lee, Y. (2024). Do conspicuous consumption motives explain eco-friendly consumption decisions? Evidence from social media exposure effects. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Management and Economics (Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 39-59).
Arghashi, V., & Gunalay, Y. (2026). Exploring the metaverse: what drives millennials and Gen Z to embrace virtual worlds?. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 17(1), 1-36.
Azizah, A. N., Susilaningsih, S., & Noviani, L. (2024). The Influence of Financial Knowledge, Parental Financial Socialization, and Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) on The Financial Behavior of Gen Z students in Indonesia: Examining The Moderating Role of Gender. Jurnal Kependidikan: Jurnal Hasil Penelitian dan Kajian Kepustakaan di Bidang Pendidikan, Pengajaran, dan Pembelajaran, 10(4), 1742-1752.
Bhatia, R., Nangia, R., & Minz, N. K. (2026). The Green FOMO Effect: Moderating the Impact of Eco-Marketing on Consumer Purchase Intentions. In Green To Gold: Marketing Strategies for a Sustainable Future (pp. 507-516). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
Bläse, R., Filser, M., Kraus, S., Puumalainen, K., & Moog, P. (2024). Non?sustainable buying behavior: How the fear of missing out drives purchase intentions in the fast fashion industry. Business Strategy and the Environment, 33(2), 626-641.
Che Musa, N., Mohd Salleh, M. S., Khaw, T. B., Azri, A. A., Tyller, C., Tan, C. L., & Wong, W. J. (2023). Malaysian women’s intention to purchase green cosmetic products. Insight Journal (IJ), 10, 257-261.
Chetioui, Y., & El Bouzidi, L. (2023). An investigation of the nexus between online impulsive buying and cognitive dissonance among gen Z shoppers: are female shoppers different?. Young Consumers, 24(4), 406-426.
Elangovan, J., Premkumar, M. D., & Yoganandan, G. (2025). Exploring the mediating role of risk aversion in the relationship between personality traits and life insurance purchase intention. International Journal of Business Excellence, 36(5), 1-26.
Esguerra–Agana, S. M., & Quezon, M. (2026). Psychological, Cultural, Marketing, and Ethical Predictors of Fast Fashion Consumer Behavior in Bacolod City. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 4(6), 163-179.
Essam, R. (2026). Generational Shifts and Ethical Consumption Marketing Strategies for Engaging Gen Z and Millennials in Egypt. In Ethical Marketing for Shifting Consumer Behaviors and Values (pp. 267-304). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
García-Salirrosas, E. E., Niño-De-Guzmán, J. C., Gómez-Bayona, L., & Escobar-Farfán, M. (2023). Environmentally responsible purchase intention in Pacific Alliance countries: geographic and gender evidence in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Behavioral Sciences, 13(3), 221.
Gen, Z. (2025). Culture's Impact on. Cultural Pressures and Mental Health Challenges in Gen Z's Digital World, 417.
Hidayatullah, R. S., & Rochmatullah, M. R. (2025). E-wallets and financial literacy: Shaping Gen Z wasteful behavior in Indonesia. Majapahit Journal of Islamic Finance and Management, 5(1), 329-352.
Hussain, S., & Farea, M. M. (2025). Investigating the Factors Influencing Impulsive Purchasing Behavior Among Online Consumers: the Mediating Influence of Perceived Trust in Pakistan. The Asian Bulletin of Green Management and Circular Economy, 5(1), 1-15.
Jokhu, J. R., & Ilmu, M. C. L. (2023). Decoding Young Investor Behavior: Digital Influencer Affects in Generation Z Intention to Invest in Stock. Jawa Barat: Lentara Ilmu Madani.
Kee, D. M. H., Qi, N. C., Huan, N. C., & Torng, N. F. (2025). Mindful Money: The Impact of Financial Literacy, Lifestyle, and Social Influence on Responsible Spending Among University Students. Advances in Global Economics and Business Journal, 6(2), 147-162.
Koparanova, M., Korczak, A., & Radif, J. (2026). Analysing the effects of social media exposure and influence of FoMO on travel decision-making among Generation Z potential tourists.
Kumar, S., & Malhotra, D. (2025). Persuasive power of social media: exploring its impact on tourist psychology, spending behavior and financial well-being using mixed-method approach. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 1-21.
Le, B. N., Le, T. M., Nguyen, T. H., & Duong, X. C. (2026). Understanding the determinants of impulse buying behavior on TikTok shop livestream shopping among Generation Z in Hanoi. Interdisciplinary Journal of Management Studies (IJMS), 19, 3.
Majeed, M. U., Aftab, H., Arslan, A., & Shakeel, Z. (2024). Determining online consumer’s luxury purchase intention: The influence of antecedent factors and the moderating role of brand awareness, perceived risk, and web atmospherics. Plos one, 19(2), e0295514.
Martaningrat, N. W. S., & Kurniawan, Y. (2024). The impact of financial influencers, social influencers, and FOMO economy on the decision-making of investment on millennial generation and Gen Z of Indonesia. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(3), 1319-1335.
Martínez-Arvizu, O. J., Salazar-Altamirano, M. A., Galiano Coronil, A., & Ravina Ripoll, R. (2026). What makes consumers happy? The role of FoMO, brand-person congruence and emotional marketing in a multi-gender model.
Mehboob, S., Mohammadi, A., Zhang, L., & Jantan, A. H. (2025). Mediating Roles of Customer Attitude and Parasocial Relationship between Attributes of Instagram Influencers and Purchase Intention. Journal of International Business and Management, 8(5), 01-23.
Misron, A., Musa, N. C., Salleh, M. S., & Zandi, G. (2025). Sustainable Labelling on Packaging: Does It Impact Purchase Behavior?. International Review of Management and Marketing, 15(2), 240.
NaveenKumar, R., Neerupa, C., Padmapriya, M., Ramadevi, V., & John William, A. (2026). Influencer-driven overtourism or sustainable alternatives? FOMO and digital pathways in Indian millennials’ travel behavior. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 1-17.
Nghiem, H. T. N., & Tien, D. T. A. (2025). Fear of Missing Out and Its Impact on Generation Z's Green Consumption Intentions. Journal of Cultural Analysis and Social Change, 2464-2476.
Ningtyas, M. N., & Cahyaningtyas, F. (2024). Exploring The Muslim Millenials Perspective On Financial Well-Being. Maliki Islamic Economics Journal, 4(1), 1-15.
Nowacki, M., Kowalczyk-Anio?, J., & Chawla, Y. (2023). Gen Z’s attitude towards green image destinations, green tourism and behavioural intention regarding green holiday destination choice: A study in Poland and India. Sustainability, 15(10), 7860.
Oan-Oon, R., & Choibamroong, T. (2025). Multidimensional bandwagon effect and dual-process decision making: an integrated model of the theory of planned behavior from the perspective of American millennials’ travel intention. Heliyon, 11(1).
Oktavian, R. B., Dermawan, R., & Majid, N. (2024). “I CAN’T RESIST TIKTOK”: EXPLORING THE INFLUENCE OF CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT, PARASOCIAL INTERACTION, AND FOMO ON GEN-Z PURCHASE INTENTION. Journal of Management: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), 17(3), 1201-1212.
Oliveira, C. R. G. L. D. (2026). The impact of Social Media Influencers, Influencer Transparency, and FOMO on tourist behavior: Generational Differences–Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.
Rahmantari, N. L. L., Mahyuni, L. P., & Maradona, A. F. (2024, July). Navigating the Digital Frontier: Motivations and Perceived Behaviors on Digital Investment Platforms. In 2024 10th International Conference on Smart Computing and Communication (ICSCC) (pp. 507-513). IEEE.
Salleh, M. S. M., Misron, A., & Musa, N. C. (2024). Examining the mediating effects of perceived behavioral control and purchase intention on sustainable consumer behavior. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(12), 3951-3972.
Saputra, M. T. R., Tibrani, T., Tanjung, R., Kusumah, S., & Asmadi, M. (2026). FLASH SALES, HEDONIC SHOPPING VALUE, AND IMPULSIVE BUYING: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF FOMO AMONG SHOPEE USERS IN BATAM. Jurnal Apresiasi Ekonomi, 14(2), 351-364.
Sharma, V., Vel, P., Abbas, R., & Sarin, R. (2025). Virtual Influencership and the ‘Desire to model’In Social Marketing: A Gen Z Perspective. Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 1-32.
Shetu, S. N. (2025). Exploring the role of social media influencers’ posts on sustainable consumption behavior: the moderating role of environmental knowledge. SN Business & Economics, 6(1), 12.
Singh, S., & Banerjee, S. (2024). Examining the effects of fear of missing out on sustainable food consumption: a social identity perspective. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 36(10), 2726-2743.
Soo, W. R., & Gong, S. L. K. (2023). Factors influencing the purchase intention of green products among gen Z in Malaysia. eprints. utar. edu. my.
Sudrajad, I., & Edastama, P. (2025). The Role of Fear of Missing Out on Purchase Intention Through The Use of Paylater Services. Quantitative Economics and Management Studies, 6(5), 792-799.
Sun, Y., & Bao, Z. (2023). Live streaming commerce: a compulsive buying perspective. Management Decision, 61(11), 3278-3294.
Sutejo, B. S., Wijaya, L. I., Noordin, N. M., & Oktavianus, J. (2026). Gender Differences in Financial Well-Being: A Multi-Group Analysis of Indonesian Income-Earning Gen-Z. Jurnal Economia, 22(1), 128-146.
Syafrida, I., Adawiyah, R., Aminah, I., Awaludin, T., & Savitri, E. (2024, November). Risk Aversion, Investment Intention, and Social Platform Influence as Determinants of theYoung Generation's Interest in Sharia-Based Green Stocks. In Annual Management, Business, and Economics Conference (Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 153-161).
Tan, K. L., Ho, J. M., Sim, A. K., & Hii, I. S. (2025). Fear of Missing Out and Beyond: Unveiling Theoretical Dimensions in Postpandemic Festival Events and Community Engagement Dynamics. Event Management, 29(3), 325-343.
Theocharis, D., Tsekouropoulos, G., & Chatzigeorgiou, C. (2025). Branding for Gen Z: consumer behavior and newly launched technological products.
Utami, H. N., Elfa, M. O. J., Wiyono, S. N., Sari, D. N., & Perdana, T. (2025). Sustaining Consumer Excitement: The Role of Online Customer Experience and Engagement in Shaping Behavioural Intentions in Food Social Commerce. Sustainability, 17(17), 8061.
Widjaya, S. L., Prathivi, M. D. G., & Juniarto, A. (2024). Social Media Fear of Missing out (Fomo) to Gen Z: The Role of Green Marketing Communication And Social Influence to Purchase Intention. Media Bina Ilmiah, 18(11), 2893-2900.
XIAOFAN, Y. (2023). ROLE OF EMOTIONAL RESPONSE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO CONTENT AND PURCHASE INTENTION ON TOURISM PRODUCT (Doctoral dissertation, School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia).
YIN, C. (2025). THE ROLE OF EMOTIONAL MARKETING ON INSTAGRAM IN SHAPING GENERATION Z'S PURCHASE INTENTION TOWARD POP CULTURE COLLECTIBLES.
Zahra, S. A., & Julaihah, U. (2025). The Impact of FoMO and Socioeconomic Status on Gen-Z Female Islamic Students’ Branded Goods Purchases: Religiosity as Moderator. Al-Mashrafiyah: Jurnal Ekonomi, Keuangan, dan Perbankan Syariah, 9(2), 182-194.
Salleh, M. S., Safri, S. M., & Salleh, M. A. (2026). A Conceptual Study the Role of Income Level on Green Fomo and Purchase Decisions among Working Adults in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 16(7), 211–234.
Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
