Background　and　aims:　Internet　pornography　consumption　is　prevalent　among　college　students　and　problematic　for　some,　yet　little　is　known　regarding　the　psychological　constructs　underlying　problematic　Internet　pornography　use　(PIPU).　Drawing　on　the　Interaction　of　Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution　model,　this　study　tested　a　model　that　sexual　sensation　seeking　(SSS)　would　impact　PIPU　through　online　sexual　activities　(OSAs)　and　that　this　relationship　would　be　influenced　by　the　third-person　effect　(TPE;　a　social　cognitive　bias　relating　to　perceived　impacts　on　others　as　compared　to　oneself)　in　a　gender-sensitivemanner.　Methods:　A　total　of　808　Chinese　college　students　(age　range:　17-22　years,　57.7%　male)　were　recruited　and　surveyed.　Results:　Men　scored　higher　than　women　on　OSAs　and　PIPU　and　on　each　scale＇s　component　factors.　The　relationship　between　SSS　and　PIPU　was　mediated　by　OSAs,　and　the　TPE　moderated　this　relationship:　The　predictive　path　(SSS　to　PIPU)　was　significant　only　in　participants　with　high　TPE.　The　moderated　mediation　model　was　not　invariant　across　gender　groups,　with　data　suggesting　that　it　accounted　for　a　greater　proportion　of　the　variance　in　men　as　compared　with　women.　Discussion　and　conclusions:　The　findings　suggest　that　SSS　may　operate　through　participation　in　OSAs　to　lead　to　PIPU,　and　this　relationship　is　particularly　relevant　for　college-aged　males　scoring　high　on　the　TPE.　These　findings　have　implications　for　individuals　whomight　be　particularly　vulnerable　to　developing　PIPU　and　for　guiding　educational　efforts　and　targeting　interventions　in　college-aged　students.　The　extent　to　which　these　findings　extend　to　other　age　groups　and　cultures　warrants　further　examination.　©　2018　The　Author(s).