The word "bravado", as a rule, is used in a negative context in spite of the fact that is single-root with the word "gallant" which, is positive characteristic of the person or an act. In what does the difference between a bravost and bravado consist?
Bravado in linguistics
According to linguists, the word "bravado" comes from the French bravade which major importance - "recklessness". Bravado most often is understood as demonstrative bravery, neglect by danger, aggressive behavior. Negative coloring to a word is given by the fact that unlike courage and courage, bravado, as a rule, has purely ostentatious character. Means that there are no rational reasons to work thus, moreover, the course of action chosen as a subject subjects him (and in certain cases and people around) to senseless danger. For example, the well-known lunch of three musketeers in the besieged and shot Saint-Gervais's bastion was than other as bravado.
If to track etymology of the word "bravado" up to the end, then it will become clear that it, most likely, comes from Latin bravo that is meant by "bandit", "bandit".
Unlike fiction, in real life the similar demonstrations of bravery and fearlessness most often lead to rather unpleasant consequences therefore most of people use the word "bravado", expressing the disapproval by a manner of behavior of any given person.
What do psychologists think?
From the psychological point of view, bravadoes are peculiar to people who test insufficient self-confidence and strongly depend on opinion of people around. In fact, bravado is compensation of any given complex. The person, sure that people around can consider him coward and weak-willed, begins to make ridiculous and dangerous acts, for example, breaks the high-speed mode on the road or gets on big height without the practical purpose. Similar decisions are often peculiar to the young people who are not understanding that their actions cause various feelings in people around: from indulgent sympathy to sincere concern, but in any way not admiration and respect.
You should not confuse bravado and a bluff though these concepts are similar. If the defying person seeks to show only the courage, then bluffing pursues the aim to mislead opponents.
However, people of a certain warehouse of character defy not because seek to convince of something people around, and because of the constant aspiration to prove the bravery and recklessness to themselves. Most often, similar traits of character are formed as a result of the psychological trauma forcing the person to concern itself, the health and life without any awe. Such people need a constant source of adrenaline, neglect danger and risk if only to feel the emotional lift connected with an extreme situation. People around can quite perceive this course of action as bravado though actually it is rather about latent (suppressed) suicide bents therefore in similar cases it makes sense to consult with the psychotherapist.