Two's in,
I'd agree with your Cognitive Dissonance theory; that sudden, disorientating WTF!?
The only thing I can add is that I hope everyone has, over the past couple of years, covered recovery from unusual positions and thrust/attitude flying in their sim refreshers.
I feel lucky to have trained in the mil where cost was less of an imperative and we were given a little jet to throw around - useful confidence building for those, like moi, who are not exactly God's gift to aviation.