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. His groundbreaking studies on “self-distancing” demonstrated how subtle shifts in perspective (such as using one’s name instead of “I”) can significantly alter emotional responses to stressful events. This work has been published in leading scientific journals including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, and Psychological Science.

Beyond academia, Kross has served as a consultant for various organizations including NASA, the US Army, and several Fortune 500 companies, helping implement evidence-based approaches to stress management and emotional regulation. This practical experience working with high-performance organizations provided him with insights into how self-talk management techniques function in high-stakes environments.

Published in 2021, Chatter represents Kross’s first major work for a general audience. The book emerged during a period of increased public interest in mental health and cognitive science, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic when many people experienced heightened anxiety and rumination. This timing likely contributed to the book’s reception, as it offered scientific solutions to psychological challenges many readers were actively experiencing.

Chatter received positive critical reception, earning praise from publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. It was selected as a notable book by several major publications and became a national bestseller. Reviewers frequently highlighted Kross’s ability to translate complex scientific concepts into accessible language while providing practical techniques readers could immediately implement.

Within the scientific community, the book bridged several subfields including clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, social psychology, and mental health. By synthesizing research from these diverse areas, Kross contributed to a more integrated understanding of psychological self-regulation.

Following Chatter, Kross has continued his research on self-regulation and emotion management. His laboratory examines how digital technology influences psychological well-being, exploring questions about social media usage and digital communication that extend beyond the scope of Chatter but connect to similar underlying psychological mechanisms. This ongoing work examines how modern communication technologies shape internal dialogue and emotional experiences.