Final answer:
Subcultures are smaller groups that share an identity and operate within a larger society, while countercultures actively reject mainstream values and create their own rules and norms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sociologists distinguish subcultures from countercultures. Subcultures are smaller groups that share an identity and operate relatively smoothly within a larger society. On the other hand, countercultures reject mainstream values and create their own cultural rules and norms, sometimes even developing communities outside of society. Examples of countercultures include hippies in the 1960s and punk subculture in the 1970s.