He received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he researched procedural and declarative learning and memory using techniques including computational modeling, brain imaging, and behavioral experiments. He also worked with Dr. Rene Weber and the Media Neuroscience Lab on several studies related to the neuroscience of persuasion in political and health communication settings, and focused in his postdoctoral work on individual differences. Previously, he earned a dual degree in Psychology and Music Theory from the Ohio State University.