Final answer:
The need to ensure that behaviors are consistent with attitudes refers to cognitive dissonance, which is discomfort caused by contradicting beliefs and actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The need to ensure that one's behaviors are consistent with their attitudes toward an event refers to cognitive dissonance. This concept is defined as the psychological discomfort arising from holding two or more inconsistent attitudes, behaviors, or cognitions. When people act in ways that are not aligned with their beliefs, they often experience a conflict that runs counter to their positive self-perception, which in turn causes psychological discomfort or dissonance. An example of this could be someone who believes that lying is wrong, but finds themselves telling a lie; they would likely experience cognitive dissonance as a result of their action not matching their belief.