What observable things could you measure to determine this? For example, two people may have a conversation and you could measure how long each person talks. That could tell us if one person dominates the conversation, which may be informative. As another example, you may count the number of times people touch one another or the distance they stand from one another.
Pay attention to these instructions! (every semester, students write something that is not what I'm asking for here, and lose all their points on this assignment). For each of the seven factors relating to tie strength—Intensity, Intimacy, Time, Reciprocal Services, Structural, Emotional Support and Social Distance—list three things you could measure from observing people interact in public. For each item on your list, explain why it would be useful for understanding tie strength. These should be general things you could look for in any public space; they should not be specific observations you make when you try this out. For example, "How many times do people kiss" would be a good measure for intimacy (note: don't list that - come up with your own). A bad answer would be "I observed people kissing 5 times".The idea here is to create generalizable guidelines about what observations may tell us things about tie strength. Create this list before you actually go observe people.
When you're done, try it. Use screen shots if you want to capture any images to support what you are saying.
If you prefer (or if you can't spot many people on the webcams), feel free to go to a public place and make observations. You can also use a different webcam if you like. DO NOT use low webcam activity as an excuse for a bad analysis. If you feel like you can't see enough on the webcams or if there isn't a lot of interaction, find another way to observe people in public.
Write 1-2 paragraphs about how well your measures applied when you tried them out.
Grading - 40 points total (but this is weighted the same as any other homework, despite the higher # of points)