Global Journal of

Addiction & Rehabilitation Medicine

Opinion Glob J Add & Rehab Med
Volume 3 Issue 2 - August 2017
Copyright © All rights are reserved by Mark D Griffiths
DOI: 10.19080/GJARM.2017.03.555610

The Myth of ‘Addictive Personality’

Mark D Griffiths*
Distinguished Professor of Behavioural Addiction, International Gaming Research Unit, Psychology Division, Nottingham Trent University, UK
Submission: August 17, 2017; Published: August 21, 2017
*Corresponding author: Mark D Griffiths, Distinguished Professor of Behavioural Addiction, International Gaming Research
Unit, Psychology Division, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, United Kingdom,
Email:

Introduction
are critical. Given that I have never seen an explicit definition
In the 30 years that I have been carrying out research
of ‘addictive personality’ I provide my own definition and
into addiction, the question that I have been asked the most –
argue that ‘addictive personality’ (if it exists) is a cognitive
particularly by those who work in the print and broadcast media
and behavioural style which is both specific and personal that
– is whether there is such a thing as an ‘addictive personality’?
renders an individual vulnerable to acquiring and maintaining
Psychologists such as Sadava [1] have gone as far to say that
one or more addictive behaviours at any one time. I also agree
‘addictive personality’ is theoretically necessary, logically
with Cloninger et al. [5] that the relationship between addictive
defensible, and empirically supportable. Sadava argued that if
characteristics and personality variables depend on the
‘addictive personality’ did not exist then every individual would
theoretical considerations of personality. According to Nathan
vulnerable to addiction if they lived in comparable environments,
[6] there must be standards of proof to show valid associations
and that those who were addicted would differ only from others
between personality and addictive behaviour. He reported that
in the specifics of their addiction (e.g., alcohol, nicotine, cocaine,
for the personality trait or factor to genuinely exist it must:
and heroin). However, Sadava neglected genetic/biological
predispositions and the structural characteristics of the a. either precede the initial signs of the disorder or must
substance or behaviour itself. be a direct and lasting feature of the disorder,
There are many possible reasons why people believe in the b. be specific to the disorder rather than antecedent,
concept of ‘addictive personality’ including the facts that: (i) coincident or consequent to other disorders/behaviours
vulnerability is not perfectly correlated to one’s environment that often accompany addictive behaviour,
[1], (ii) some addicts are addicted to more than one substance/
c. be discriminative, and
activity (cross addiction) and engage themselves in more than
one addictive behaviour [2], and (iii) on giving up addiction some d. be related to the addictive behaviour on the basis of
addicts become addicted to another (i.e., ‘reciprocity’ [3]). In all independently confirmed empirical, rather than clinical,
the papers I have ever read concerning ‘addictive personality’, I evidence. As far as I am aware, there is no study that has
have never read a good operational definition of what ‘addictive ever met these four standards of proof, and consequently I
personality’ actually is (beyond the implicit assumption that it would argue on the basis of these that there is no ‘addictive
refers to a personality trait that helps explain why individuals personality’.
become addicted to substances and/or behaviours). Nakken [4]
Although I do not believe in the concept of ‘addictive
argued that ‘addictive personality’ is “created from the illness
personality’ this does not mean that personality factors are not
of addiction”, and that ‘addictive personality’ is a consequence
important in the acquisition, development, and maintenance of
of addiction and not a predisposing factor. In essence, Makken
addictive behaviours. They clearly are. For instance, Kotov et al.
simply argued that ‘addictive personality’ refers to the
[7] examined the associations between substance use disorders
personality of an individual once they are addicted, and as such,
(SUDs) and higher order personality traits (i.e., the ‘big five’
this has little utility in understanding how and why individuals
of openness to experience, conscientiousness, agreeableness,
become addictive.
extraversion, and neuroticism) in 66 meta-analyses. Their review
When teaching my own students about the concept of included 175 studies (with sample sizes ranged from 1,076
‘addictive personality’ I always tell them that operational to 75,229) and findings demonstrated that SUD addicts were
definitions of constructs in the addictive behaviours field high on neuroticism (and was the strongest personality trait

Glob J Add & Rehab Med 3(2): GJARM.MS.ID.555610 (2017) 001

 Global Journal of Addiction & Rehabilitation Medicine

associated with SUD addiction) and low on conscientiousness. d. agreeableness was negatively associated with Internet
Many of the studies reviewed also reported that agreeableness addiction, exercise addiction, mobile phone addiction, and
and openness were largely unrelated to SUDs. compulsive buying, and

Malouff et al. [8] carried out a meta-analysis examining e. conscientiousness was negatively associated with
the relationship between the five-factor model of personality Facebook addiction, video game addiction, Internet
and alcohol. The meta-analysis included 20 studies (n=7,886) addiction, and compulsive buying and positively associated
and showed alcohol involvement was associated with low with exercise addiction and study addiction. However,
conscientiousness, low agreeableness, and high neuroticism. replication and extension of these findings is needed before
Mixed-sex samples tended to have lower effect sizes than single- any definitive conclusions can be made.
sex samples, suggesting that mixing sexes in data analysis may
Overall these studies examining personality and addiction
obscure the effects of personality. Hittner and Swickert [9]
consistently demonstrate that addictive behaviours are
carried out a meta-analysis examining the association between
correlated with high levels of neuroticism and low levels of
sensation seeking and alcohol use. An analysis of 61 studies
conscientiousness. However, there is no evidence of a single trait
revealed a small to moderate size heterogeneous effect between
(or set of traits) that is predictive of addiction and addiction
alcohol use and total scores on the sensation seeking scale.
alone. Others have also reached the same conclusion based on
Further analysis of the sensation seeking components indicated
the available evidence. For instance, Pols [13] noted that findings
that disinhibition was most strongly correlated with alcohol use.
from prospective studies are inconsistent with retrospective
Munafo et al. [10] conducted a meta-analysis examining and cross-sectional studies leading to the conclusion that the
strength and direction of the association between smoking status ‘addictive personality’ is a myth. Kerr [14] noted that ‘addictive
and personality. They included 25 cross-sectional studies that personality’ had long been argued as a viable construct
reported personality data for adult smokers and non-smokers (particularly in the USA) but that there is simply no evidence for
and reported a significant difference between smokers and non- the existence of a personality type that is prone to addiction. In
smokers on both extraversion and neuroticism traits. In relation another review of drug addictions, Conway et al. [15] asserted
to gambling disorder, MacLaren et al. [11] carried out a meta- there was scant evidence that personality traits were associated
analysis of 44 studies that had examined the personality traits of with psychoactive substance choice. Most recently, Szalavitz
pathological gamblers (N=2,134) and non-pathological gambling [16,17] noted that:
control groups (N=5,321). Gambling addiction was shown to
“Fundamentally, the idea of a general addictive personality
be associated with urgency, premeditation, perseverance, and
is a myth. Research finds no universal character traits that are
sensation seeking aspects of impulsivity. They concluded that
common to all addicted people. Only half have more than one
individual personality characteristics may be important in the
addiction (not including cigarettes)—and many can control their
aetiology of pathological gambling and that the findings were
engagement with some addictive substances or activities, but not
similar to the meta-analysis of substance use disorders by Kotov
others”.
et al. [7].
Clearly there are common findings across a number of
More recently, Andreassen et al. [12] carried out the first ever
differing addictions (such as similarities in personality profiles
study investigating the inter-relationships between the ‘big five’
using the ‘big five’ traits) but it is hard to establish whether
personality traits and behavioural addictions. They assessed
these traits are antecedent to the addiction or caused by it.
seven behavioural addictions (i.e., Facebook addiction, video
Within most addictions there appear to be more than one sub-
game addiction, Internet addiction, exercise addiction, mobile
type of addict suggesting different pathways of how and why
phone addiction, compulsive buying, and study addiction). Of 21
individuals might develop various addictions [18-20]. If this is
inter-correlations between the seven behavioural addictions, all
the case – and I believe that it is – where does that leave the
were positive (and nine significantly so). More specifically:
‘addictive personality’ construct?
a. neuroticism was positively associated with Internet
‘Addictive personality’ is arguably a ‘one type fits all’
addiction, exercise addiction, compulsive buying, and study
approach and there is now much evidence that the causes of
addiction,
addiction are biopsychosocial from an individual perspective,
b. extroversion was positively associated with Facebook and that situational determinants (e.g., accessibility to the
addiction, exercise addiction, mobile phone addiction, and drug/behaviour, advertising and marketing, etc.) and structural
compulsive buying, determinants (e.g., toxicity of a specific drug, game speed
in gambling, etc.) can also be influential in the aetiology of
c. openness was negatively associated with Facebook
problematic and addictive behaviours [21]. Another problem
addiction and mobile phone addiction,
with ‘addictive personality’ being an explanation for why

How to cite this article: Griffiths M D. The Myth of ‘Addictive Personality’. Glob J Add & Rehab Med. 2017; 3(2): 555610. DOI: 10.19080/
002 GJARM.2017.03.555610.
 Global Journal of Addiction & Rehabilitation Medicine

individuals develop addictions is that the concept inherently personality traits to anxiety, depressive, and substance use disorders:
absolves an individual’s responsibility of developing an addiction a meta-analysis. Psychol Bull 136(5): 768-821.

and puts the onus on others in treating the addiction. Ultimately, 8. Malouff JM, Thorsteinsson EB, Rooke SE, Schutte NS (2007) Alcohol
all addicts have to take some responsibility in the development involvement and the five-factor model of personality: A meta-analysis.
J Drug Educ 37(3): 277-294.
of their problematic behaviour and they have to take some
ownership for overcoming their addiction. Personally, I believe 9. Hittner JB, Swickert R (2006) Sensation seeking and alcohol use: A
meta-analytic review. Addict Behav 31(8): 1383-1401.
it is better to concentrate research into risk and protective
factors of addiction rather than further research of ‘addictive 10. Munafo MR, Zetteler JI, Clark TG (2007) Personality and smoking
status: A meta-analysis. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 9(3): 405-413.
personality’.
11. MacLaren VV, Fugelsang JA, Harrigan KA, Dixon MJ (2011) The
Not every addict has a personality disorder, and not every personality of pathological gamblers: A meta-analysis. ClinPsychol Rev
person with a personality disorder has an addiction [22]. While 31(6): 1057-1067.
some personality disorders appear to have an association 12. Andreassen CS, Griffiths MD, Gjertsen SR, Krossbakken E, Kvan S, et al.
with addiction including Antisocial Personality Disorder and (2013) The relationships between behavioral addictions and the five-
factor model of personality. J Behav Addict 2: 90-99.
Borderline Personality Disorder [23], just because a person has
some of the personality traits associated with addiction does 13. Pols RG (1984) The addictive personality: A myth. Drug Alcohol Rev
3(1): 45-47.
not mean they are, or will become, an addict [22]. Practitioners
consider specific personality traits to be warning signs, but that’s 14. Kerr JS. (1996) Two myths of addiction: The addictive personality and
the issue of free choice. Hum Psychopharm 11: S9-S14.
all they are. There is no personality trait that guarantees an
individual will develop an addiction and there is little evidence 15. Conway KP, Kane RJ, Ball SA, Poling JC, Rounsaville BJ (2003) Personality,
substance of choice, and polysubstance involvement among substance
for an ‘addictive personality’ that is predictive of addiction alone.
dependent patients. Drug Alcohol Depend 71(1): 65-75.
In short, ‘addictive personality’ is a complete myth.
16. Szalavitz M (2016) Unbroken brain: A revolutionary new way of
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How to cite this article: Griffiths M D. The Myth of ‘Addictive Personality’. Glob J Add & Rehab Med. 2017; 3(2): 555610. DOI: 10.19080/
003 GJARM.2017.03.555610.