Co-Presence

The sense of being together with another person in a shared space, whether physical or virtual, where individuals are aware of each other's presence and are "accessible, available, and subject to one another" (Goffman). Co-presence does not require active interaction—the mere awareness of another person's presence can influence behavior and motivation. In accessibility contexts, co-presence is particularly relevant for ADHD support through body doubling, where the presence of others (physically, via video, or even through pre-recorded video) helps with task initiation, focus, and accountability. Digital technologies have expanded co-presence beyond physical proximity to include synchronous video, live streaming, and asynchronous video experiences.