Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It

Ethan Kross is an experimental psychologist and neuroscientist whose career has focused on understanding the science of self-control and emotion regulation. Kross completed his undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated magna cum laude. He then pursued graduate studies at Columbia University, earning his PhD in psychology under the mentorship of Walter Mischel (known for the famous “marshmallow test” studies on delayed gratification) and Özlem Ayduk.

Following his doctoral work, Kross established himself at the University of Michigan, where he founded and currently directs the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory. As a professor in the Department of Psychology and the Ross School of Business, his position reflects the cross-disciplinary nature of his research, bridging psychological science with practical applications in organizational behavior and leadership.

Kross’s academic trajectory directly informed the development of Chatter. His laboratory research examines how people can control their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors under stress. Over two decades, Kross and his team have conducted numerous experimental studies using methods ranging from brain imaging to daily experience sampling. This scientific foundation provided the empirical backbone for the techniques described in Chatter.

A significant portion of Kross’s research focuses specifically on self-talk patterns and their impact on emotional regulation.