Learned helplessness in the context of thinking.
Folks who fall prey to learned blankness may still take actions […] But they do so as though carrying out rituals to an unknown god – parts of them may be trying, but their “understand X” center has given up.
Related: Cargo cult
Bibliography
Salamon, Anna. 2011. “Learned Blankness.” Less Wrong. https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/puhPJimawPuNZ5wAR/learned-blankness.