A Qualitative Study on the Negative Impacts of Digital Games on Moral-Spiritual Development: The Case of Judgment Day: Angel of God

Abstract

Games, which are a means of discovering and recognizing life for children, are a basic need. With the developments in technology, digital games have emerged as an alternative to traditional games. The new playmates of children, who are the new inhabitants of the digital world, are also digital games. Although many studies have been conducted on the negative effects of digital games on children, there is limited research on the effects of digital games on children's religious-moral development. In the study, it is aimed to address the negative effects and possible risks of some games in the simulation category on the basic developmental areas, especially the religious and moral development of children. In this context, the game Judgment Day: Angel of God, which is the most played by children in the simulation games category, was examined, and the negative effects and risks of the game on the basic development areas, especially the moral and religious development of children, were revealed. The reason why Judgment Day: Angel of God was chosen is that it has a large number of downloads in Turkey, its interface, its drawings, it is designed for children in terms of ease of playing, the game does not require hand-eye coordination or concentration, it is possible with every move/decision (correct-decision) in the game. It is highly preferred by children because it can be passed to higher levels by earning points (whether wrong or not), and it can be played without getting stuck in the levels. Document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in accordance with the structure of the study. The game has been played to the highest levels, and its content has been systematically analyzed. Since the Turkish version of the game has been examined, its dimension related to religious development has been discussed in the context of Islam. The themes and content in the game were analyzed in terms of negative effects and risks on basic development areas, especially religious-moral development. presented under three headings. It has been determined that the directive, premise, symbol, and spatial features in the play (old male god figure, angel, heaven and hell drawings, sending people to heaven or hell by deciding on the name of God, etc.) are diametrically opposed to the principles of creed in Islam. However, it has been determined that the content and visuals in the game contain elements that will negatively affect their moral development, and that constantly repeated moral dilemmas (killing the spouse with cancer to avoid suffering, stealing flowers from the cemetery, killing people to release animals, etc.) can cause moral indifference in children. Finally, the presence of many instructions, pictures, and items that will negatively affect sexual development, self-care skills, and social-emotional development (playboy, prostitute, sexually explicit items, crime, and rude behavior, gay rights, etc.) has been revealed. It is thought that the religious, moral, social, self-care, and sexual development areas of children who are constantly exposed to negative content, items, and themes in the game will be negatively affected.