It's hardly different from slow-rolling. We've all seen it or done it. So they don't ask to see hands, even when they are intensely curious or when the information is potentially valuable. Those who do ask to see hands do so when the information is most pertinent, thereby manufacturing useful information of a type not available to those who feel bound by scruples never to ask. It's like the boxer who intentionally swings low against an opponent who never does.
Many players think of poker as being, in part, a struggle to conceal information.
Ask any player how they feel after someone asked to see their hand, and they'll likely say they feel violated. My poker hand is like my groin. If I want you to see it, I'll show you. The player on the button has pocket aces in a three-handed pot. On the river, the first player bets, the second player calls, and the aces call.