I work with some airheads and for amusement I always ask them real questions, I know the look you speak of, that deer in the headlights, never fails to amuse me, LOL! How sad these people are - so shallow and not smart enough to recognize it!
Yes. Most people, but especially younger ones, have a scripted set of lines and automatic responses to questions. The implicit agreement within this type of 'conversation' is that you're not supposed to ask real, legitimate follow up questions. Almost nobody is prepared for them and the things they say when (politely) pressed is often hilarious.
I do this now and then for fun. The best answer I ever got was waiting for a new flight in DC one Sunday at the airport a few years ago. A pleasant young woman was coming back to nyc from a wedding in DC for a friend of hers. She worked in advertising or something, and gave me the lines about how great and interesting her work was.
I listened and then asked what was so fulfilling about her work. She stared off into space for a second - I think nobody ever asked her that. She exhaled and said, "Nothing. Day to day it stinks. It just stinks. I just want to meet a nice guy, get married, have like 3 or 4 kids and stay home like my mom, raise a family. I won't miss the work world at all."
I gotta say, I wasn't prepared for the directness and frankness of her answer. Sometimes you just scratch the surface and amazing wisdom and honesty pours out, huh?