Digital Brain Rot Among School-Aged Children: Implications for Attention, Moral Reasoning, and Character Education Practices
Keywords:
Digital Brain Rot; School Aged Children; Attention Decline; Moral Reasoning; Character Education; Digital Media Exposure; Algorithm Driven ScrollingAbstract
The rapid expansion of digital technology has significantly altered children’s cognitive and moral development, giving rise to concerns over digital brain rot caused by excessive, algorithm-driven scrolling behaviors. This study aims to examine digital brain rot among school-aged children and its implications for attention, moral reasoning, and character education practices. Employing a qualitative research design based on secondary data analysis, the study synthesizes findings from interdisciplinary literature in cognitive psychology, moral development, and education. The results indicate that sustained digital overexposure generates cognitive overload and attentional fragmentation, which undermine reflective thinking and moral reasoning capacities essential for character formation. These cognitive disruptions weaken the effectiveness of character education, resulting in superficial moral compliance rather than internalized moral agency. The study proposes an integrative conceptual framework that positions attention and moral reasoning as central mediators linking digital consumption to character education outcomes. The findings contribute theoretically by bridging cognitive and moral perspectives and practically by informing attention-supportive and ethically grounded educational strategies for the digital age.
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