Psychopathy, and Fun-Seeking Predicting Alcohol Drinking: The Role of Thinking Styles

The study examined the effect of trait psychopathy and fun seeking behavioral activation system (BAS) on alcohol drinking and whether this effect is moderated by thinking styles. We hypothesized that psychopathy will indirectly predict alcohol drinking through BAS fun seeking, moderated by experientiality and rationality.The research sample of the cross-sectional study consisted of 241 working adults (47.30% men). Participants completed the Short Dark Triad, Behavioral Inhibition (BIS) and Activation (BAS) Scales, the Rational-Experiential Inventory-40, and the Health Behavior Inventory.Psychopathy indirectly predicted alcohol drinking through BAS fun seeking. Experientiality significantly moderated the relationship between BAS fun-seeking and alcohol drinking. In the context of high experientiality, BAS fun-seeking predicted alcohol drinking positively and significantly. Rationality did not create a significant context for predicting alcohol drinking by BAS fun-seeking and psychopathy. Moderated mediation analysis showed that thinking styles and individual differences in behavioral activation co-created psychological mechanisms underlying alcohol drinking in adults with traits of psychopathy.