Yes, there is a psychological phenomenon called "Inattentional Blindness" or "Perceptual Blindness" that can explain the experience of not being able to find something even when it is right in front of you.
Inattentional Blindness refers to the failure to notice unexpected objects or events in one's visual field when attention is focused on something else. It occurs when the brain prioritizes processing certain information, and as a result, we become "blind" to other stimuli that may be present.
One classic example of inattentional blindness is the "invisible gorilla" experiment. In this experiment, participants are asked to watch a video and count the number of passes made by players in white shirts while ignoring players in black shirts. During the video, a person dressed as a gorilla walks through the scene, but many participants completely miss seeing the gorilla because they were so focused on counting the passes.
In everyday situations, inattentional blindness can happen when we are engrossed in a task, conversation, or a specific goal, and we fail to notice something that should be obvious. It's not a matter of vision itself but rather a limitation in our attentional capacity.
So, if you're looking for something, but you can't find it even when it's right in front of you, it might be due to inattentional blindness. Taking a moment to refocus your attention or changing your perspective can sometimes help you notice the object or item you were searching for.