“Mean Girls, Meaner Women” authors on CNN “American Morning”

In this segment on CNN’s “American Morning” John Roberts speaks with Dr. Erika Holiday and Dr. Joan Rosenberg, co-authors of the book “Mean Girls, Meaner Women,” about bullying and how girls and women frequently mistreat one another.

In the wake of Phoebe Prince’s tragic suicide, which has been linked to bullying, Holiday and Rosenberg talk about the role the social networking frequently plays in incidents of this kind and why girls and women are “hard-wired” to be mean and hurtful to one another.

The authors also discuss how girls and women are taught to handle difficult emotions like anger and resentment in ways that naturally lead to bullying behavior, as seen in the film “Mean Girls.”

Finally, Drs. Holiday and Rosenberg talk about actions that schools, parents and communities can take to prevent tragedies like this in the future.