Final answer:
Subcultures are smaller groups within a larger culture with their own shared identities, while countercultures oppose the larger culture's norms and values.
Step-by-step explanation:
A subculture is essentially a smaller cultural group within a larger culture, where individuals of the subculture share a specific identity and can still be part of the larger culture.
In contrast, a counterculture actively rejects and opposes some of the larger culture's norms and values, often creating their own sets of rules and norms and potentially developing separate communities.
Subcultures encompass a wide range of groups with diverse interests and characteristics, such as ethnic and racial groups, biker culture, or the body modification community.
These subcultures may wish to enact change within a society, but they typically work within existing structures and possess a dual identity, aligning with both their subculture and the larger society.
Meanwhile, countercultures are often perceived as oppositional or revolutionary because their values and norms clash significantly with those of the dominant culture, which can sometimes bring them into conflict with societal laws and standards.