University of Twente Student Theses

Login
As of Friday, 8 August 2025, the current Student Theses repository is no longer available for thesis uploads. A new Student Theses repository will be available starting Friday, 15 August 2025.

Empathy in the Context of Video Games and Condolence Letters

Renzelberg, M. (2023) Empathy in the Context of Video Games and Condolence Letters.

[img] PDF
530kB
Abstract:This research investigates how empathy influences the writing of a condolence letter and compares the results to real life contemporary condolence letters, and letters written in the video game Radio General 1. All of which were written in the context of informing the families of fallen soldiers in World War 2. Participants did an online survey with three questionnaires, then were given the context of World War 2 in a scenario and asked to write a letter to the family of a deceased soldier. A sample of 56 participants was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. 3020 game letters from Radio General 1 were coded, and the percentages were compared to the survey percentages. Additionally, the contemporary letters were compared. This allowed for a better validity of the findings. The results only showed a significant correlation between emotional content and empathy. However, the comparison of extreme groups showed that more empathetic individuals wrote more extensive and complex letters. The game letters showed similar trends. Also, the contemporary letters showed similarity to the survey letters. Overall, this research reveals common themes in condolence letter writing, and it also offers first evidence for the validity of game-based analysis of empathy and condolence letter writing.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/95231
Export this item as:BibTeX
EndNote
HTML Citation
Reference Manager

 

Repository Staff Only: item control page