Final answer:
Minor counterproductive behaviours fall into two categories: displacement, where inappropriate behaviours are redirected towards a safer target, and numerous specific behaviours like excessive consumption or seeking in-group approval, which are ecologically significant due to their energy consumption and pollution impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two categories of minor counterproductive behaviours relate to actions that are not particularly harmful but can negatively affect efficiency and productivity, especially in the workplace or in social interactions.
The first category involves displacement, where an individual transfers inappropriate urges or behaviours onto a more acceptable or less threatening target. This could manifest in actions like snapping at a colleague due to stress unrelated to work, or procrastination through minor tasks that seem urgent but are in fact less important than the major task being avoided.
The second category includes various specific behaviors that can be described as ecologically significant because they consume more energy or create more pollution in modern society than in the past. Examples include unnecessary competition for in-group approval or excessive consumption driven by the desire for novelty or comfort.
Both categories represent ways in which individuals may engage in behaviours that are not optimally adapted to their surroundings or tasks at hand, leading to less effective or efficient functioning.