A paradox of celebrity behavior

Some people are shrugging off revelations of Kobe Bryant’s adultery as yet another example of bad behavior by a star athlete. Adultery is what he conceded after being charged with sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in Colorado.

Bryant said he is innocent. But whatever the outcome in the courtroom, many are pondering a basic question: Why would someone with so much at stake -- family, fortune, reputation -- act so recklessly?

The case is a reminder that while the power and wealth of celebrity can offer both opportunity and protection from scrutiny, it also can bring harsh consequences and personal tragedy when indiscretions are discovered by the public. Whether the scandal is sexual (Bill Clinton, Gary Hart, former General Electric chieftain Jack Welch), financial (Martha Stewart, Enron’s Kenneth L. Lay) or otherwise, many Americans suspect that the rich and famous are so accustomed to ignoring the rules that they’re guilty of hubris, along with the ethical violations.

Yet the psychology of celebrity is more complex than a simple explanation of spoiled stars behaving badly, mental health experts say. For a variety of reasons, people who show extraordinary judgment and poise in highly stressful or competitive situations often make poor decisions in more ordinary settings.

“We can all trick ourselves into taking more risks than we should,” said Pauline Wallin, a psychologist in Camp Hill, Pa., who studies impulse control. “But in a closed world like sports celebrity you can convince yourself that the risks are even smaller, that it’s more ‘normal’ to go off with a girl, to the point where you’re not even thinking about the consequences at all.”

Many people who get to the top in sports, politics or business thrive in uncertain, challenging situations from an early age, said Frank Farley, a psychologist at Temple University in Philadelphia who studies high-risk professionals. They have thrill-seeking, or what Farley calls “T type,” personalities -- defined as having a strong appetite for change, novelty and a desire to test their own limits. “These are people who are not just confident,” he said, “but believe that they have control over their own destinies.”

In a 1997 study of some 3,000 college students, researchers at UCLA found that, compared to non-athletes, male college athletes consume more alcohol, drive more recklessly and have more sexual partners.

Subsequent research suggests that these differences show up in many sports and appear to be due more to competitive drive than any particular game. One of the fiercest competitors of all, basketball star Michael Jordan, is known to enjoy gambling. Other athletes race motorcycles despite the risks of career-threatening injury. In these environments, riskier behavior begins to seem more like the norm, said Wallin.

It’s not just athletes or A-list celebrities who seem almost smitten with risk-taking behavior.

In recent months, two high-profile college coaches, one at Iowa State University and another at the University of Alabama, lost their jobs after embarrassing disclosures of excessive public drinking, partying and other indiscretions.

In the business world, it is often the rising executive working “outside the box” who’s at greatest risk of scandal, say some management consultants. “This is the person who’s making deals and taking risks, and then they get to the top and wonder: ‘What do I do now?’ ” said Michael Seitchik managing director of RHR International Co., a management psychology firm based near Chicago. “This is the one who wants to take more and more risks just for the sake of being stimulated, and that’s when you get into trouble.”

Steven Berglas, a Los Angeles psychologist whose clients include NBA players and rock musicians, said the suddenness of athletic fame can distort judgment.

Unlike in business, where young executives often have a mentor or someone who helps protect their interests, athletes often lack such support as they transition suddenly from, say, small-town college life -- or even high school -- to the intense pressure of professional sports.

The result is what Berglas calls “success-induced narcissism,” defined as a lack of awareness of the effect of your behavior on others, and a runaway sense of entitlement.

Some young stars may also react by sabotaging their success: They start to drink or use drugs, both to relieve the pressure and to have ready excuses if they don’t live up to expectations, Berglas said.

But those who are comfortable with fame and come alive under pressure are more likely to be addicted to risk than to anything else.

They are used to making snap decisions, creating something from nothing, and gambling with the unknown, psychologists say.

When they’re not performing, however, the same daring, confidence and artistry that led to success on the playing field can backfire. Boredom in particular can be an invitation to mischief.

So can the expectation of forgiveness. One reason scandal often does not fundamentally change the behavior of a public figure is that, in the end, talent and fame transcend all. “The public eventually says, ‘Look, you’re such a great guy, let’s move on, let’s not encumber your greatness,’ ” said Berglas

Psychologists say there are several changes that athletes, even those who are habitually reckless, can make to prevent their personal and professional lives from imploding.

Many have turned to religion. Some of the most famously clean-living stars, such as basketball star David Robinson, are outspoken about their faith.

Another answer is to find a consuming interest that’s as challenging, but not as treacherous.

“It may be something as simple as mentoring or teaching others in your own business or organization,” said Seitchik. “If they can get kicks out of developing leadership in others -- anything that gives the adrenaline rush without the personal risk.”