Abstract
This exploratory study was designed to examine how players
make moral choices in video games and what effects these choices have on
emotional responses to the games. Participants (n=75) filled out a moral
foundations questionnaire (MFQ) and then played through the first full act of
the video game Fallout 3. Game play was recorded and content analyzed for the
moral decisions made. Players also reported their enjoyment of and emotional
reactions to the game and reflected on the decisions they made. The majority of
players made moral decisions and behaved toward the nonplayer game characters
they encountered as if these were actual interpersonal interactions. Individual
differences in decision making were predicted by the MFQ. Behaving in
antisocial ways did increase guilt, but had no impact on enjoyment.