copresence

Copresence is the psychological feeling that other people are present and participating in the same space or activity. It emerges when individuals perceive social cues, mutual attention, and a shared context, irrespective of whether those others are physically beside them or connected through communication technology. In contrast to a simple sense of occupancy, copresence centers on social presence and collaborative engagement.

In physical settings, copresence is supported by gaze, body orientation, turn-taking, and visible involvement in joint actions. In mediated environments, such as video conferencing, collaborative software, or virtual reality, copresence depends on timely audio and visual feedback, avatars or cursors that reflect others’ actions, and the perception of shared artifacts or tasks.

Copresence is studied across disciplines including psychology, sociology, education, and human-computer interaction. It informs how people coordinate, trust, and feel connected during collaboration, remote work, gaming, or teleoperation of devices. Designers seek to foster copresence by reducing latency, enhancing social cues, and ensuring transparent indicators of others’ activity; excessive delay or artificial representations can undermine it.

Measurement often relies on subjective questionnaires and observational indicators of how effectively participants perceive others’ presence and engagement. Researchers may also examine performance in joint tasks, communication efficiency, and user satisfaction as proxies for copresence.