Meangirlology

Rumors. Veiled put-downs. Back-handed compliments. Sneaky attacks that are hard to pinpoint as attacks. Why do women do this to each other?

If you’re looking for someone or something to blame, look no further. The culprit is our own DNA. We might be living in a modern world, but we are still driven by ancestral-era psychology, so these tactics remain with us today.

In this curated collection of science-based columns from award-winning writer Amy Alkon, you’ll take a deep dive into the inner workings of female friendship, the methods women use to fight dirty, and the murky nature of the “frenemy.” What comes across as cattiness is actually evolutionary psychology at work. What appears to be an insult is mate competition in disguise.

In Meangirlology, Alkon expertly guides you through the findings of renowned psychologists such as Anne Campbell, Joyce Benenson, Jaimie Arona Krems, and Tania Reynolds to help prepare you for the sneak attacks you don’t see coming from “the gentler sex.”

By being aware of the evolved motivation for women to compete this way, we can spot the frenemies in our midst, deter attacks on ourselves, and be better friends to other women—and have more meaningful, satisfying female friendships.