The Staring Hamster meme, sometimes known as the 'Hampter' or judgmental hamster, features a tiny dwarf hamster looking directly into a camera lens with a wide-angle, distorted perspective. It rose to prominence on social media platforms like TikTok and Twitter in early 2019, quickly becoming the go-to reaction image for situations involving awkward silence, intense scrutiny, or a blank-stared response to a questionable statement. The humor stems from the hamster's unblinking, soul-piercing gaze which perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being judged or simply being 'lost in thought.' It remains a staple of internet culture, often used in POV videos to represent a person staring at their phone screen or waiting for a reply.