Together in bed? Couples’ mobile technology use in bed

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the use of mobile technology in an underexplored context, the bed that couples share. Despite large amounts of research on the impact of pre-bedtime technology use on our sleep and mental state, scant research in the HCI field focuses on the physical bed as a negotiated site of technology use by couples. This paper explores (a) the meaning of the bed accessed by mobile technology and (b) the strategies of both individual and shared technology use in bed, in the context of couple’s relationships. We investigate the effects of mobile technology to couples’ bed-sharing practices through in-depth interviews (n = 12) and an online survey (n = 117). We report on creative and negotiated bodily practices of mobile technology use by couples in bed, and the perceived effects on couples’ verbal and physical interaction and the intimacy of the bed.