Last year Physics Today had an interesting article Psychological insights for improved physics teaching Lauren Aguilar, Greg Walton and Carl Wieman It generated a lot of letters in last months issue. I think it raises some issues that are not thought or talked about enough. Here, I just want to suggest that psychology does play a role in research seminars and conference seminars too. Speakers and their messages are not just judged on their scientific merits. In particular, our views are sometimes influenced by our emotions, positive or negative. Over the past year I think I have heard talks that have evoked in me responses such as negative- boredom, confusion, frustration, anger, feeling inadequate, .... positive- excitement, intellectual stimulation, curiousity, feeling clever, .... The former can come from talks that are obscure, too technical, poorly prepared, patronising, or full of hype... I have to confess, that as much a I try to be objective, I think my negative