It is not remotely bogus.. when those children threw their little tantrums, what did mommy and daddy do? Did they walk away or tan their "oh so precious" little behinds?
My bet is that they did neither, which is why they will continue to do it.
Only kids I've seen that resort to public tantrums are the ones who's parents refuse to discipline them... Its a learned response and behavior. Not broad brush at all, if the child is old enough to communicate its needs, and does not have any mental issues, and engages in a tantrum more than 1 or 2 times if they are a slow learner, its the parenting skills that are to blame.
It happens, your little theories notwithstanding.