I see audible reactions as a cry for attention. If there was no one else in the vicinity you wouldn’t react so loudly and gesticulate so wildly. But the looker on is faced with the dilemma as whether or not to take the bait or not.
When an incident like this presents itself I see it as an opportunity. An opportunity for conditioning. Your reaction to their cry for attention can set the tone for the relationship.
If you ignore it then you show that this sort of behaviour isn’t tolerated. The attention seeker is going to have deal with the problem themselves or at least find the right words and tone to articulate their problem.
If you take the bait you risk having to sit through a series of rants. It also means that they were rewarded for their behaviour and any rewarded behaviour is encouraged to happen again.
Whatever the problem is, subtly trying to gain attention by sighing and throwing your hands in the air is not going to solve it.
Thomas Duggan 