I think that what Matt is saying is that ignoring it and coming back positively has the effect of punishing the behaviour by not rewarding it.
Easievibe's housemate (Bitch-Dude) is testing Easievibe's boundaries. When Easievibe reacts, he shows that he has weaker boundaries (less self-control), which means less internal dominance, than the Bitch-Dude. Bitch-Dude then says to himself (unconsciously) "Ah ha! I have more status than Easievibe," and feels good.
If Easievibe just lets it bounce off him like a tennis ball off a tank (control over his own mental state), and instead displays warmth (high dominance character) then Bitch-Dude feels stupid and doesn't do it as much. Eventually, Bitch-Dude will stop. In the short term, making Bitch-Dude feel stupid may result in him getting more aggressive, just keep it up and you'll win in the end. |