Histrionics
[back] Medical mind control

[Because of the uncomfortable nature of negative emotions it is easy to get people to back off if you generate them, so it is a good way to get out of difficult situations.  Either 1. take offence (Arrogance, indignation, eg Zuckerman whose typist, incidentally, typed polyvalent instead of monovalent, twice, yeah right!). 2. Give offence (Ad Hominem). 3. Theatrics.  Eg Abraham Bomba crying, and the audience in the Phil Donahue show, that will drop most people in to Sympathy. If you suggest that anyone is using histrionics you can expect a further display of histrionics!  All such low tone displays of emotion are guaranteed to stop rational high tone adult dialogue and more importantly --Thinking.  Even better if you manage to drag your opponent into an emotional non-thinking state.]

See:  Arrogance

Quotes
At the end of Zuckerman’s evidence one was left with the impression that he had performed cleverly, expressing his personal detestation of Dr Wakefield, defending his professional interests and managing to avoid answering the most damaging exchanges with Mr Koonan by utilising a display of histrionics. [July 30th to August 6th] Prosecuting For The Defence by Martin J Walker

"No man lies so boldly as the man who is indignant."--Nietzsche

Various dictionary definitions:
Exaggerated emotional behavior calculated for effect.
Behavior or speech for effect, as insincere or exaggerated expression of an emotion; dramatics; operatics: Cut out the histrionics—we know you're not really mad.
Exaggerated, overemotional behaviour, especially when calculated to elicit a response; melodramatics.

To get a good example of the power of histrionics watch David Cole and Bradley Smith on the receiving end (mostly end parts).  And don't miss pseudo-Skeptic Michael Shermer.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Also see a display of emotion by Holocaust witness Abraham Bomba Quicktime | WMV

Also Dr. Adolph Berman using shoes to elicit Sympathy.