I am not a believer in copying learned behaviour as adults. As adults we know what is right and wrong. What we may not have insight into is consequences. In your Ws childhood she may not of been exposed to the consequenses and detruction of A.
I think you are right about this. She thinks everyone can get along in one big happy family like her mom pretends. It makes me sick how she treats FIL and his family like they are still just peachy.
MIL still doesn't see consequences of her actions... no one ever gets confrontational in W's family. They all just look the other way and pretend everything is fine.
