The Curious Case of Andrea Yates

1. Which level of psychological analysis is the most convincing to you? Explain why.

With family comes responsibility. Andrea Yates, from an unstable and unsupportive family, drowned all her five children due to disillusionment and mental insanity. In the debate of nature versus nurture, I believe nurture took the better hand in the case of Andrea Yates. The amount of nurture one receives takes precedence over the nature of his or her mental condition. Therefore, I find the psychological analysis level of behavioral and social-cultural perspective most convincing.

Andrea Yates lacked a stable support system from the lack of her in-laws' help to the resistance of her husband's care to the children. Amongst my family, I always learned that the relationships within family should last forever because an unstable family will result in feelings of depression and melancholy. Nevertheless, Mr. Yates went to the extent of impregnating Yates with a fifth child after her physician declared her irresponsible for the care of any more children. Childcare creates an overwhelming amount of stress that, especially with five children and little to no assistance, can depress any person already declared mentally unstable. With a different attitude from her husband, Yates and her children might have suffered a less unfortunate fate.

2. What important principle might this case reveal about the nature of psychology?

This case reveals psychology comes from a conglomerate of analyses and perspectives. From an explanation of Satan's control to a family history of mood disorders to an imbalanced home environment, Yates presented negative behavior. At first, her case appears horrifying and disbelieving. Yet as we learn about her condition, it appears affected by several factors. Moreover, each small detail describes the unimaginable hardships and hopelessness felt in such miserable conditions.