Final answer:
The tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) phenomenon describes the situation where an answer is known but momentarily inaccessible in memory. It is a form of blocking during the retrieval process, different from retrieval cues, déjà vu, and amnesia, and is part of the normal nuances of human memory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The experience when you know the answer to a question but it seems just out of reach is referred to as the tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) phenomenon. This is a common occurrence where a person cannot fully retrieve a word or a name from memory, but has partial recall and the feeling that retrieval is imminent. The term blocking is also used to describe this phenomenon, as the memory is present in the mind but access to it is temporarily blocked.
The TOT state is different from retrieval cues, which are stimuli that help you remember associated information. It's also distinct from déjà vu, where an event feels eerily familiar, and amnesia, the loss of memory typically caused by brain trauma or disease. Moreover, unlike an assessment question, which is a question posed to evaluate knowledge, TOT is an experience of retrieval difficulty.
Retrieval is the act of getting information out of long-term memory and back into conscious awareness, an essential part of recall and recognition. The TOT phenomenon is a temporary failure in the retrieval process that can happen to anyone and is part of the flexibility and error-prone nature of human memory.