Is the aggressive TSA pat-down the new protocol, or is it punishment for refusing the scanner?

I fly pretty frequently. I have been patted down a few times at airport screening over the years (although I fit none of the profiles of a likely terrorist).
Pat downs were, in the past, thorough, but not terribly intrusive. Lately, in the news, I have been hearing about pat downs that laid it on pretty heavily in the crotch and butt area.
I dismissed that as routine American bitching.
I have a friend who also travels frequently, and out of concern over the scanner radiation, opted out of the scanner in favor of a pat down. He described it to me and I was surprised to hear how aggressively they checked out his “groin” and butt.
This guy, like me, is not squeamish and has endured plenty of shit that would make an airport pat down seem no more intrusive than walking through a metal detector. In other words, I do not think he is exaggerating.

Next time I fly (this weekend) I am going to refuse the scanner so I can find out for myself, but…

Is it likely that the TSA’s, who have become increasing rude and surly as the years have gone by, are punishing people who are not cooperatively submitting to being zapped in a scanner?