Should you meditate?

Psychologist and author Daniel Goleman—well-known for his 1995 book “Emotional Intelligence”—spent almost two years combing through more than 6,000 academic studies on meditation with a team of researchers to sort through the hype and discover the real benefits. He wrote about his findings in a new book, “Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain and Body,” which he co-authored with Richard J. Davidson, a neuroscientist who directs a brain lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Goleman, who has been meditating for almost 50 years and wrote his 1973 psychology dissertation at Harvard on meditation and stress, says that research shows meditation can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. A specific practice called loving-kindness meditation can boost compassion. And people who meditate regularly will have lasting positive changes in their brain.

Here are edited excerpts from an interview with Dr. Goleman:

What are the key elements of meditation?