THE PURPOSES OF THIS STUDY WERE (1) TO EXAMINE THE RELATIVE INFLUENCE UPON ADOLESCENTS OF PEERS AND FAMILIES, (2) TO COMPARE THESE INFLUENCES IN TWO SOCIETIES, THE UNITED STATES AND DENMARK, AND (3) TO DESCRIBE THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE AND OPERATION OF ADOLESCENT SUBCULTURES IN THE TWO SOCIETIES. DATA WERE COLLECTED ON ALL STUDENTS IN THREE AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS (N-2327) AND 12 DANISH SECONDARY SCHOOLS (N-1552) USING A STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE. DATA ALSO WERE OBTAINED FROM 68 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS' MOTHERS IN AMERICA AND 75 PERCENT IN DENMARK. RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE ADOLESCENT SUBCULTURES IN BOTH CULTURES ARE NOT SEPARATE OR ISOLATED SUBSOCIETIES BUT RATHER REFLECT THE ORIENTATION OF THE LARGER SOCIETIES SURROUNDING THEM. THE DATA, IN CONTRAST TO EARLIER THEORIES, SUGGEST THAT IN IMPORTANT AREAS OF BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDE, ADOLESCENTS DISPLAY HIGH CONCORDANCE WITH BOTH PARENTS AND PEERS, OR LOW CONCORDANCE WITH BOTH. ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS IN AMERICA ARE MORE CONCERNED THAN THE DANES WITH WINNING THE REGARD OF OTHERS. (AUTHOR)