Affectionate Gesture to the Head: Difference between revisions

[[File:affectionate-gesture-to-head_tangled_5907head tangled 5907.png|link=Tangled (Disney2010 film)|rightframe]]

{{quote|''"Just pat me."''|'''[[Community (TV)|Annie Edison]]'''}}

Adults will pat the head of a child to show them they've done well, tousle the child's hair affectionately to take the sting out of a teasing comment, or do one of the former in a playfully patronizing way.

Also can be done from one adult to another if one feels protective and affectionate of the other, or just wants to annoy them.

The gesture is done to and from people of both sexes, and can be gentle or rough, though the rough version is most common among boys and their dads/older brothers (or substitute father-figures). Expect the dad to be playfully rough, and the boy to shut one eye while letting his head move with the gesture and maybe complain.

The gesture can also be performed genuinely or insincerely. Expect the gesture to be done awkwardly by a closet [[Child-Hater]].

This is mainly true of North America. In Asian countries, this may be considered rude, due to spiritual connotations.

'''Relational Troping:'''

* [[Super-Trope]] to: [[Headbutt of Love]], in which both participants' heads are part of the gesture.

* [[Sister Trope]] to: [[Gotta Get Your Head Together]], which is usually one clutching at one's own head and messing up the hair.

* Young Gohan is pat on the head quite frequently -- evenfrequently—even by ''Vegeta'' -- in—in the ''[[Dragonball Z]]'' series.

* In ''[[Higurashi]]'', the missing character Satoshi Hojo had a habit of doing this, especially to Satoko. So much that when Keiichi does it to her in Tatarigoroshi-hen, it actually [[Trigger|triggerstrigger]]s her.

* In ''[[Baccano (Light Novel)|Baccano!]]'' after thinking that he is going to die, {{spoiler|Czeslaw gets a pat on the head from Maiza instead of having his life force sucked from him as he'd expected. This, along with the love that Isaac and Miria had shown him, leads to his breaking free from his past woes in a [[Crowning Moment of Heartwarming]].}}

* Mai gives one to Mii in episode 7 of ''[[Popotan (Anime)|Popotan]]'', although it's more of a gentle nudge than a pat.

== [[Fan FictionWorks]] ==

* In the fanfiction ''[[Kyon: Big Damn Hero (Fanfic)|Kyon Big Damn Hero]]'', Kyon tousles his little sister's hair pretty much whenever he sees her.

== [[Film]] -- Animated ==

* In Disney's ''[[Tangled (Disney)|Tangled]]''. Mother Gothel pats Rapunzel "sweetly" on the head as a gesture of "affection" but also to remind her that she's dumb, helpless, naive, ditzy, etc. It is a sign that Rapunzel has grown up that she blocks the gesture and grabs Gothel's wrist once Rapunzel realizes who she is.

* In ''[[The Simpsons Movie (Film)|The Simpsons Movie]]'', a kid in a commercial asks [[Tom Hanks]] to tousle his hair. Magic sparkles appear as he does.

* At the end of ''[[Atlantis: theThe Lost Empire]]'', Milo is saying goodbye to all his friends. When he comes to [[The Pig Pen|Mole]], who offers a big hug, he hesitates before patting his head instead.

* Plot-relevant in ''[[Definitely Maybe (Filmfilm)|Definitely Maybe]]'', as recognizing the gesture is how Maya works out which of the women in the story is her mother.

* ''[[War GamesWarGames]]''. During the movie, Dr. McKittrick had been suspicious of and antagonistic toward David Lightman. At the end, after Lightman had prevented [[World War III]], Dr. McKittrick tousled his hair in a friendly way.

* Boromir does this to Frodo in ''[[The Lord of the Rings (Filmfilm)|Lord of the Rings]]'' during their attempted trek over Caradhras. After picking up the Ring, he gives it back to Frodo only after an order from Aragorn. He ruffles Frodo's hair to lighten the mood, but the Fellowship stay wary.

* ''[[La Reine Margot (Filmfilm)|La Reine Margot]]'' pets her brothers' hair when they are upset about her wedding night. And again Margot pets Charles when he is crying after the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

== [[Live -Action TV]] ==

* In series one, episode one of ''[[Jeeves and Wooster (TV series)|Jeeves and Wooster]]'', Bingo Little does this to Oliver Glossup (the boy he's tutoring) during dinner, dismissing something the boy just said.

* ''[[Community (TV)|Community]]'', as is expected of such a troperiffic show, discussed this. Jeff and Annie's relationship is characterized by him being an older brother to her, except that the increasing sexual tension is making that awkward and they can't keep it up, meaning their relationship has to evolve. The discussion ends with "We can't keep doing this kiddo," with a gentle chuck of the chin. "Can't we?" [long pause], "No, it's gross."

{{quote| "Then I'd tell Freddie and Cook to stop fighting over Effy before they hate each other forever, and not make me take sides. And they'd listen to me for once and not fucking ruffle my hair!"<br />

* [[Lampshaded]] in one strip of ''[[Dilbert (Comic Strip)|Dilbert]]'', the [[Pointy-Haired Boss]] is criticizing Dilbert's work (while not being overly specific as to what's wrong). As Dilbert becomes more frustrated, the boss asks Dilbert to "come here so I may pat your head in a condescending manner".

{{quote| '''Dogbert:''' So you took the pat on the head?<br />

* In ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha As Portable (Video Game)|Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha AsA's Portable]]: The Gears of Destiny'', [[Unfinished Business|Dark Piece]] [[Parental Substitute|Rynith]] gives one to Levi the Slasher after the two properly introduced themselves. Turns out, [[The Berserker]] [[Blood Knight]] likes it.

{{quote| '''Levi:''' Nehehe~[[, feel free to pat me more~]]!}}

* Rin's flashback in the prologue of ''[[Fate/stay Stay Nightnight]]'' features a scene where her father pats her on the head. She remarks that because it's the first time he's ever done so, he's using far too much strength and dragging her head around as he does it.

* ''[[The DevilsDevil's Panties]]'': A security guard condescendingly pats Jennie on the head in [http://thedevilspanties.com/archives/5939 this comic].

* ''[[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]]'': in an [[Show Within a Show|educational film]], Troy McClure does this to little Tommy at the end.

{{quote| '''Tommy:''' You're...hurting...me.}}

* ''[[Tom and Jerry (Animation)|Tom and Jerry]]'': "Professor Tom" has Tom teaching mousing to a kitten. When the kitten does a good job, he gets a pat on the head.

* ''[[How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Animationanimation)|How the Grinch Stole Christmas]]'' has the titular Grinch patting Cindy Lou Who on the head before he gives her a drink and sends her back to bed.

* A standard gesture of affection among [[Gargoyles (Animation)|Gargoyles]], the equivalent of kissing.

* ''[[Green Lantern: the Animated Series (Animation)|Green Lantern theThe Animated Series]]'': Hal does a "tousle the hair" to Amaya -- anAmaya—an alien without hair -- whenhair—when showing her a kindness over a family loss.

* ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)|My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic]]'':

** In ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)/Recap/S1 E5/E05 Griffon the Brush Off|Griffon the Brush Off]]'', Pinkie Pie gives one to Fluttershy right before Gilda's party.

{{quote| '''Pinkie Pie:''' Don't worry your pretty little head about mean old Gilda. Your auntie Pinkie Pie's got it all taken care of!<br />

** In ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)/Recap/S2 E7/E07 May the Best Pet Win|May the Best Pet Win]]'', Rainbow Dash gives a condescending pat on the head to Twilight, when she asks if "coolness", "awesomeness" and "radicalness" aren't all the same thing.

{{quote| '''Rainbow Dash:''' You would think so. And that is why ''you'' would never qualify to be ''my'' pet.}}

** In ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)/Recap/S2 E5/E05 Sisterhooves Social|Sisterhooves Social]]'', Rarity's father gives Sweetie Belle a tousle as he praises her cooking. She clearly appreciates it.

** In ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)/Recap/S2 /E11 Family Appreciation Day|Family Appreciation Day]]'', Apple Bloom was given this by her Uncle Apple Strudel and Granny Smith.

** Twilight gets a few of these in ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (Animation)/Recap/S2 /E25 A Canterlot Wedding Part 1|A Canterlot Wedding]]''.

* ''[[Teen Titans (Animationanimation)|Teen Titans]]'': "Call All Titans": Jericho reaches down and pats an exhausted Beast Boy on the head after he climbs all the way to the top of the mountain to give Jericho a communicator.

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