Final answer:
The concept that describes people's opposition to both actual and potential events is known as resistance. This is a crucial element in understanding human behavior in social and psychological contexts, and it is influenced by various factors such as the desire for consistency and the level of self-efficacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The notion that people resist both actual and potential events is known as resistance. This concept is relevant to various social and psychological phenomena where individuals or groups oppose changes or react against certain actions, influences, or movements. For instance, in Asch's study on conformity, factors contributing to the ability of subjects to resist conforming included having an ally and the ability to keep one's answer private. Similarly, in the context of cognitive dissonance theory, discomfort arises because cognitive dissonance disrupts our sense of consistency, making us aware of the contradictions between our beliefs and behaviors, which often leads to resistance in changing either the belief or the action. Moreover, the effectiveness of resistance can also be tied to factors like self-efficacy and public opinion.