In & At — Perceptual Co-Presence Framework

In-At: A Perceptual Co-Presence Framework The In-At Perceptual Co-Presence Framework proposes that co-presence in remote interaction emerges from perceptual coupling rather than spatial immersion or visual realism. Instead of framing mediated experience as either being “in” a virtual space or being “at” a remote location, the framework argues that perceived “being with” depends on structured action–perception loops between participants. The central claim is that synchrony, shared attention, response contingency, and multisensory alignment are stronger predictors of co-presence than graphical fidelity, avatar realism, or environmental immersion. Co-presence is therefore treated as a dynamic cognitive-perceptual process grounded in interaction timing and reciprocal responsiveness. Research Questions RQ1: Can perceptual co-presence occur without spatial co-location when multisensory contingencies are preserved? RQ2: Do users report higher social presence when interaction is structured around perceptual coupling rather than visual realism? RQ3: Does synchrony of action–perception loops (e.g., gaze timing, response latency, reciprocal feedback) predict perceived “being with” better than avatar fidelity? RQ4: Can interaction designed under the In-At framework reduce cognitive load compared to conventional video-mediated communication? Proposed Experimental Paradigm Participants interact remotely under three conditions: 1- Standard video call (baseline) 2- Avatar-based VR interaction 3- Interaction structured according to In-At perceptual coupling principles (timing dependency, shared attentional anchors, constrained response latency) Measures • Social Presence (e.g., Networked Minds Questionnaire) • Cognitive Load (NASA-TLX) • Interaction Synchrony (latency and temporal coupling metrics) • Subjective “being with” rating Hypothesis Perceptual coupling strength will predict perceived co-presence more reliably than spatial immersion or visual realism. Open-access preprint: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18627794 Research Domains: - Cognitive Science - Cognition and Perception - Human-Computer Interaction - Virtual Reality - Social Presence Research - Telepresence Systems - Remote Collaboration