Don't worry no actual dogs are involved. I'm interested in trying to understand a behavior that I've noticed for much of my life (and I'm not young). I want to try to understand the motivations and generally "what's going on". It doesn't refer to a single incident but a pattern.
I'm generally a peaceable sort and don't readily get involved in arguments. But, of course, like most people, arguments happen around me (or in the next room, or whatever) a fair amount, most of which there's no real reason for me to be involved with.
I've noticed that after an argument, very often one of the parties will come past where I am and just randomly shout at me or just, you know, insult me: say that they don't like my hair or something or ask me aggressively why I'm standing up when there's a perfectly good chair in my room, and then storm off -- that kind of thing. I'm talking grown adults here, many older than me. Obviously they're in a strop and what they say is so nonsensical that my reaction is usually puzzlement.
Almost always it only happens when I'm alone, so there's no real comeback. In the short term it doesn't bother me (owing to its lack of motivation), but longer term it kind of gets me down and nervous. I've tried reacting at the time to discourage it, but the randomness and suddenness always catches me off-guard. Later I'm not sure how to broach it because I don't really understand it, which I think probably means it continues.
It's not something restricted to one person or situation, so it must either be something about myself, or something that's a pretty universal experience.
Is there a proper name for this behavior? Is it common? Have people studied it? What are good strategies for discouraging it?