History Main / AffectionateGestureToTheHead

* 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 causes her to practically go nuts.

* TheDevilsPanties: A security guard condescendingly pats Jennie on the head in [[http://thedevilspanties.com/archives/5939 this comic]].

** In Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E5GriffonTheBrushOff, Pinkie Pie gives one to Fluttershy right before Gilda's party.

** In Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin, 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.

* In the ''SengokuBasara'' anime, when Shingen is about to give a MegatonPunch to Yukimura but switches to patting him on the head at the last second.

Adults will pat the head of a child to show her she's done well, tousle the child's hair affectionately to take the sting out of a perhaps too-sharp teasing comment, or to condescend or patronize.

Also can be done from one adult to another if one feels protective of or affectionate toward the other.

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

The gesture is done to and from people of both sexes, and can be gentle or rough, though the rough version is most common to little boys and their dads (or substitute figure). Expect the dad to be playfully rough, and the boy to shut one eye and let his head move with the gesture.

The gesture can also be done genuinely or without sincerity. Expect the gesture to be awkwardly done by an insincere ChildHater.

The gesture can have UnfortunateImplications as pats on the head are often also given to pets and other animals.

[[caption-width-right:350:Mother Gothel gives us an example of the insincere head pat with [[{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]].]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'': "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.

[[AC: {{Film}}]]

* At the end of ''AtlantisTheLostEmpire'', Milo is saying goodbye to all his friends. When he comes to [[ThePigPen Mole]], who offers a big hug, he hesitates before patting his head instead.

* In ''{{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 CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming.]]

--> '''Rainbow Dash:''' You would think so. And that is why ''you'' would never qualify to be ''my'' pet.

** In "Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E5GriffonTheBrushOff", Pinkie Pie gives one to Fluttershy right before Gilda's party.

** In "Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin, 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.

** Season 1: In "Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E5GriffonTheBrushOff", Pinkie Pie gives one to Fluttershy right before Gilda's party.

** Season 2: In "Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin, 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.

** Season 1: In "Griffon the Brush-Off", Pinkie Pie gives one to Fluttershy right before Gilda's party.

** Season 2: In "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.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "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.
--> '''Rainbow Dash:''' You would think so. And that is why ''you'' would never qualify to be ''my'' pet.
** In "Griffon the Brush-Off", Pinkie Pie gives one to Fluttershy right before Gilda's party.

* ''MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'': In "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.

--> '''Rainbow Dash:''' You would think so. And that is why ''you'' would never qualify to be ''my'' pet.
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--> ''Rainbow Dash:'' You would think so. And that is why ''you'' would never qualify to be ''my'' pet.

* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries'': Hal a "tousle the hair" to Amaya -- an alien without hair -- when showing her a kindness over a family loss.

* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLanternTheAnimatedSeries'': Hal does it to Amaya, when showing her a kindness over a family loss.

* ''WesternAnimation/GreenLantern'': Hal does it to Amaya, when showing her a kindness over a family loss.

* In the fanfiction ''KyonBigDamnHero'', Kyon tousles his little sister's hair pretty much whenever he sees her.

[[caption-width-right:350:Mother Gothel gives us an example of the insincere head pat with [[{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]]]]
Adults will pat the head of a child to show them they've done well, tousle their hair affectionately to take the sting out of a perhaps too-sharp teasing comment, or to condescend/patronize.

Also can be done from one adult to another if one feels protective of or affectionate toward another.

* SisterTrope to: GottaGetYourHeadTogether which is usually one clutching at one's own head and messing up the hair.

* In {{Naruto}}: Kakashi gets a pat on the head (though I'm not sure from whom, anyone?)

* In the fanfiction Kyon: Big Damn Hero, Kyon tousles his little sisters hair pretty much whenever he sees her.

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

* {{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."

And then about two minutes later, Karen (Freddie's sister) does exactly that.

* {{Lampshaded}} in one strip of {{Dilbert}}, the PointyHairedBoss is criticizing Dilbert's work (while not being overly specific as to what's wrong). As Dilbert becomes more frustrated, the boss asks to "come here so I may pat your head in a condescending manner".

* ''TheSimpsons'': in an [[ShowWithinAShow educational film]] Troy [=McClure=] does this to little Tommy at the end.
-->Tommy: You're...hurting...me.

[[AC: {{Anime}} and {{Manga}}]]
* In {{Naruto}}: Kakashi gets a pat on the head (though I'm not sure from whom, anyone?)
* Young Gohan is pat on the head quite frequently -- even by ''Vegeta'' -- in the ''DragonballZ'' series.
* In the ''SengokuBasara'' anime, when Shingen is about to give a MegatonPunch to Yukimura but switches to patting him on the head at the last second.
* 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 causes her to practically go nuts.

[[AC: FanFiction]]:
* In the fanfiction Kyon: Big Damn Hero, Kyon tousles his little sisters hair pretty much whenever he sees her.

[[AC: {{Film}}]]:
* In Disney's ''{{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 ''TheSimpsonsMovie'', a kid in a commercial asks TomHanks to tousle his hair. Magic sparkles appear as he does.
* In ''GranTorino'', ClintEastwood pats the head of a child in a Hmong household as a gesture of kindness; the family of the child is shocked by this due to their cultural differences.
* Plot-relevant in ''Film/DefinitelyMaybe'', as recognising the gesture is how Maya works out which of the women in the story is her mother.
* ''WarGames''. During the movie Dr. [=McKittrick=] had been suspicious of and antagonistic toward David Lightman. At the end, after Lightman had prevented WorldWarIII, Dr. [=McKittrick=] tousled his hair in a friendly way.

[[AC: {{Literature}}]]:
* In ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', Jon shows his affection to Arya by mussing up her hair.
* In the OctoberDaye novel ''One Salt Sea'', the scary, unaffectionate Luidaeg gives Quentin's hair an affectionate ruffle.
* In ''Cheaper by the Dozen'' by Frank Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, there is a part when the children's Aunt Anne comes to visit and Billy pushes her over the edge to the point where she yanks his hair. They get on better terms with each other, though, to the point where Aunt Anne gives Billy one of these.

[[AC: LiveActionTV]]:
* In series one, episode one of ''JeevesAndWooster'', Bingo Little does this to Oliver Glossup (the boy he's tutoring) during dinner, dismissing something the boy just said.
* {{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."
* JJ from ''{{Skins}}'' is forever having his hair ruffled; he's well aware that it's mostly patronising.
* "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!"\\

And then about two minutes later, Karen (Freddie's sister) does exactly that.


[[AC: NewspaperComics]]:
* [[HangsALampshade Lampshaded]] in one strip of {{Dilbert}}, the PointyHairedBoss is criticizing Dilbert's work (while not being overly specific as to what's wrong). As Dilbert becomes more frustrated, the boss asks to "come here so I may pat your head in a condescending manner".
-->'''Dogbert:''' So you took the pat on the head?
-->'''Dilbert:''' I didn't want to leave empty handed.

[[AC: TruthInTelevision]]:
* Quite commonplace in professional team sports, and considered a bit less HoYay than a pat on the backside.

[[AC: WesternAnimation]]:
* ''TheSimpsons'': in an [[ShowWithinAShow educational film]] Troy [=McClure=] does this to little Tommy at the end.
-->Tommy: You're...hurting...me.
* ''TomAndJerry'': "Professor Tom" has Tom teaching mousing to a kitten. When the kitten does a good job, he gets a pat on the head.
* ''HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas'' has the titular Grinch patting Cindy Lou Who on the head before he gives her a drink and sends her back to bed.
* In a certain comic based on ''ThePowerpuffGirls'', Buttercup gets annoyed with the Mayor's constant patting her on the head, to the point where she punches his lights out after repeatedly telling him to stop.
* A standard gesture of affection among {{Gargoyles}}, the equivalent of kissing.

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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patpat_4857.jpg]]
[[caption-width:300:Mother Gothel gives us an example of the insincere head pat with [[{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]]]]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patpat_4857.jpg caption-width:300:Mother Gothel gives us an example of the insincere head pat with [[{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]]]]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patpat_4857.jpg]][[caption-width:300: Mother Gothel gives us an example of the insincere head pat with [[{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]]]]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patpat_4857.jpg]] [[caption-width:300: Mother Gothel gives us an example of insincere with [[{{Tangled}} Rapunzel]]]]