One of my writer friends calls them "filters" that put a block between the reader and the character (or the writer and the character).

Filters are a good word. Big potholes in the road of your narration is another good phrase for it I think. I do know that I noticed the overuse of these words in chapter *three*, so that can't be good.

My filters tend to be "it felt" or "seemed like."

I've been known to overuse those phrases myself in prose. ;)