[meyer]

When I saw it in high school, it was done by stronger kids to weaker kids as a a form of humiliation.

That wasn't humiliation - that was motivation. A couple of noogies and some Charles Atlas lessons were all one needed, back in the day...

[WilliamReading]

Giving someone a “noogie” is basically a dominance ritual . .. with the intent to establish a pecking order of sorts.

The “giver” is considered superior to the “givee”.

Try this at a job interview and see if you get the job.