<p>Sample Description of Experiment 1.</p>

Due to inconclusive outcomes, results from this experiment are reported in the supporting information.</p> <p>Results</p><p>Sign-trackers showed a modest tendency toward greater alcohol-related attentional bias than intermediate participants, although not compared with goal-trackers. No robust evidence emerged for differences in alcohol consumption across PCA profiles.</p> <p>Conclusions</p><p>The findings provide preliminary support for a positive association between sign-tracking tendencies and alcohol-related attentional bias, consistent with theoretical predictions, although the effect was small and should be interpreted cautiously.

In contrast to previous reports, sign-tracking was unrelated to alcohol consumption. The attenuated effects likely reflect methodological constraints, including low reward salience and the passive nature of the task (e.g., fictitious token reinforcement). Further refinement of human PCA paradigms (particularly regarding conditioned stimulus properties, reward type, and participant engagement) is needed to clarify the boundary conditions of sign- and goal-tracking and strengthen their translational validity.</p></div>