They often feel betrayed and become highly suspicious. As a controlling individual who, on the surface, appears to be self-assured, suave and debonair, this type of personality is really quite insecure and frightened. He fears his life will move beyond his control. This leads to feelings of vulnerability, which can then lead to intense emotional outbursts, and the kind of explosiveness we heard in the famous 911 tapes after Simpson allegedly beat his wife. By all accounts, Simpson is a man concerned with his public image and perhaps an underlying belief that in our desire to embrace and iconize, we will eventually forgive or exonerate him and apologize for daring to accuse him of this heinous crime.
Behavioral psychologists exhort that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
The complicated issues and problems that have surfaced as a result of the Simpson Trial are of serious concern to our nation, as are the issues and problems that have arisen in the world of sport. They are clearly connected. As a psychologist, I am well aware of how painful change can be, as people often remain in intensely unhappy positions, because they are frightened of what change will bring. I hope that is not going to be the case for our society as a whole.