In the original twitter thread, it feels like the desire to follow the party line suppresses the adult's ability to recognise that they are being poked fun of, and the best course of action is simply to disengage.
It's making me think that there's a suppression mode or part of the brain that when it's engaged to go along with something you know to be an untruth, also suppresses the ability of the brain to perform other functions. e.g. They are clearly widing me up, the sooner this ends the better, I'll disengage.
If that theory is true, turning on the suppression function of the brain has a very wide area of effect, is unfocused. Looks to be quite a risky thing to do.