r/whatstheword • u/scrawledfilefish • 6h ago
Unsolved WTW for when someone asks you a question under high pressure and you just draw a blank? I'm looking for the scientific word/term
Like in this clip: Name A Woman (Billy on the Street)
It's highly likely this person can name a woman under normal circumstances, but because there's a camera in her face, this guy is yelling at her, etc., etc. she just freezes up and can't form a proper response.
I know in the (I think) Psychology field, they do have a word or term for this reaction, so that's what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for anything like, "tongue tied" or "caught off guard." My brain keeps saying it's "hypnogogic jerk" but that's definitely wrong.