History Main / PstandardPsychicPstance

** When, much later, the Tenth Doctor does some telepathy, he puts his hands on the ''other'' person's temples.

* About half of the character art for the various mentalists in the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'' depicted them using some variation on the standard stance, despite the fact that in the actual text, they were never actually depicted as bothering with it. In point of fact, most mentalists avoided calling attention to their use of an undetectable (by non-mentalists), invisible (to non-mentalists) superpower in front of non-mentalists.

* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts II Final Mix+'', Vexen's usual pose during battle involves him holding his hand to his forehead while his shield floats directly in front of him. He moves his hand away when gesturing for his actual attacks, though.

* ''Series/{{Charmed}}''
** The telekinesis-by-handwave version also appears on this series. Prue only developed this later on, after first moving things by squinting at them real hard.
** Paige also goes through the usual hand-motions, with the added need to [[CallingYourAttacks call out whatever object she wanted to move]]. Her telekinesis was a little different. It seems that she could teleport things without touching them with a combination of this trope and using the name of the object, but also alter the object's direction if it was moving.

* ''Film/{{Firestarter}}''. Andy does this when 'pushing' someone. After he's been captured by The Shop, Cap (the villain played by Martin Sheen) sees him doing this and realises too late that Andy is no longer drugged -- Andy takes control of Cap's mind before he can signal a guard.

Whenever someone uses their PsychicPowers, they put a hand up to their head, most traditionally with the middle and fore fingers on the brow and thumb on or very near the cheek. If they're doing something really hard, it takes ''both'' hands on their temples. If it's something ''really'' difficult, they have to use both hands -- and ''quiver'', and maybe [[PsychicNosebleed bleed from the nose]].

** ''Film/XMenFirstClass'': It seems to be a personal favorite for [[Characters/XMenFilmSeriesProfessorCharlesXavier Charles]]; it's a crutch to aid with his concentration.

* In the long-discontinued ''MyFavoriteMartian'' TV series, "Uncle Martin" the Martian, when he used his "Martian mind-reading" on someone, would generally hold one or both hands to his temples with his thumb and first finger forming a circle and the rest of the fingers curved.

** Mork from Ork also used his finger in a parody of ''MyFavoriteMartian'' in ''Series/MorkAndMindy''.

* An early television example of this comes from Uncle Martin the psionic Martian in ''MyFavoriteMartian''. Telepathy and clairvoyance required he put his fingers to his temples. Telekinesis required the use of his finger, to the point that he couldn't use his telekinesis if he couldn't move his finger -- although he once managed to use his nose instead of his finger, inspired by "some television show he saw" in which a woman twitched her noses for her powers (''Series/{{Bewitched}}'').

** Parodied again when the psychic, having just failed to predict the winning lottery number, [[{{Facepalm}} buries his face in his hands]] and from there foresees that the person who just entered the room is [[GenreSavvy Fox Mulder come to ask him for more psychic clues while his]] [[AgentScully skeptical partner]] [[GenreSavvy does an autopsy]].

* Quite a lot of this in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', really. Jean is probably the biggest source, though Magneto, Storm and Xavier all do this to some degree.
** In ''Film/XMenFirstClass'', it seems to be a personal favorite for Charles.
** Almost every time Xavier uses his telepathy in ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', [=McAvoy=] accentuates it by placing his fingers against his temple.
*** Or, when using Logan as a conduit to the future, on Logan's temple.
*** [=McAvoy=] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrlOid1Ss2c said in an interview]] that he specifically chose to use the Pstandard Psychic Pstance because whenever Charles used his powers on film it was just closeups and adding his hand made the shot more dynamic. And also because Creator/PatrickStewart never did anything similar in his tenure as Professor X.

* Quite a lot of this in the ''Film/XMen'' film series, really. Jean is probably the biggest source, though Magneto, Storm and Xavier all do this to some degree.

* Ness from ''Videogame/EarthBound'' touches both his temples when using his powers in the ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros'' series. [[{{Pokemon}} Mewtwo]] doesn't usually bother with this trope, but makes an exception when wielding a hammer. In contrast, in ''Videogame/SuperSmashBros Brawl'', Lucas uses hand signs and other hand motions when using his powers.

* Psyduck, a Videogame/{{Pokemon}} with access to psychic moves such as Confusion, is always depicted looking off into space with both paws on its temples. Oddly enough, despite the "Psy" part of its name, it isn't actually a Psychic-type Pokémon, nor is its evolved form Golduck (both are pure Water-type Pokémon). That's mostly because Psyduck also always have constant headaches. It's sort of a double meaning; they're holding their heads because it well, hurts. It just so happens they're doing this when using their psychic powers, too.

* In early ''Comicbook/XMen'' comics, Professor X was often depicted (as an icon on the cover, but seldom in an actual story) doing a ''double'' hand-to-temple gesture, like someone trying to salute with both hands at once. However, Jean Grey rarely used hand gestures with her telekinetic powers. This is because they're using two different powers: Professor Xavier is the most powerful telepath in the Marvel Universe, but he has no telekinesis whatsoever. Prof. Xavier, Jean Grey and almost every other telepathic character (see Emma Frost) depicted in the MarvelUniverse do the hand-to-head gesture when using the telepathy -- but ''not'' when using TK (see: Hellion).

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]

** However, Comicbook/JeanGrey ''does'' use this trope when using her telekinesis in ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}''. This is a case of DependingOnTheArtist as Jean has been drawn using her hands to direct her telekinesis.

* Jun Lee from ''Anime/GenesisOfAquarion'' uses a slightly modified version of the PstandardPsychicPstance when applying his "psychography" skill to see the unseen: rather than putting his fingers to his temples, he puts his fingers just above his eyebrows, forming a triangular bridge over his eyes.

* WebcomicDominicDeegan sometimes holds a hand to his forehead when using his second sight. This usually happens when he's a) purposely trying to have visions, rather than having them spontaneously, b) not using a CrystalBall as a focus, or c) exasperated. Maybe trying to have visions makes his head hurt. Possibly, considering how many {{Psychic Nosebleed}}s he's had after particularly rough uses of his second sight.

* About half of the character art for the various mentalists in the ''Roleplay/GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'' depicted them using some variation on the PstandardPsychicPstance, despite the fact that in the actual text, they were never actually depicted as bothering with it. In point of fact, most mentalists avoided calling attention to their use of an undetectable (by non-mentalists), invisible (to non-mentalists) superpower in front of non-mentalists.

-->-- '''Shawn Spencer''', ''Psych'', "Psych: The Musical"

* ''ThatsSoRaven'''s star Raven has her own nonstandard psychic stance -- whenever she gets a vision, she shakes her head slightly and stares into the camera with a shocked look on her face.

->They believe that I can\\

And can mingle with the dead

** Famously when Darth Vader uses the force to choke someone he clenches his fist in a choking gesture.

** However, Jean Grey ''does'' use this trope when using her telekinesis in ''WesternAnimation/{{X-Men}}''. This is a case of DependingOnTheArtist as Jean has been drawn using her hands to direct her telekinesis.

* Averted in one episode of ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. Kes [[BadAss slowly walks through a corridor, which she shreds with her powers.]]