{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7138903331","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","title":"Visual Distraction Undermines Moral Reasoning in Vision-Language Models","display_name":"Visual Distraction Undermines Moral Reasoning in Vision-Language Models","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-03-17","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7138903331","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5130186843","display_name":"Xinyi Yang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Yang, Xinyi","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5129931256","display_name":"Chenheng Xu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xu, Chenheng","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5129821141","display_name":"Weijun Hong","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Hong, Weijun","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5037868857","display_name":"Ce Mo","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6666-9282"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Mo, Ce","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5129856705","display_name":"Qian Wang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Wang, Qian","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5130158803","display_name":"Fang Fang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Fang, Fang","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5129820131","display_name":"Yixin Zhu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhu, Yixin","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":7,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11714","display_name":"Multimodal Machine Learning Applications","score":0.3781000077724457,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11714","display_name":"Multimodal Machine Learning Applications","score":0.3781000077724457,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10883","display_name":"Ethics and Social Impacts of AI","score":0.24310000240802765,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3311","display_name":"Safety Research"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12520","display_name":"Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment","score":0.05339999869465828,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/consistency","display_name":"Consistency (knowledge bases)","score":0.5022000074386597},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/modalities","display_name":"Modalities","score":0.49810001254081726},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/moral-reasoning","display_name":"Moral reasoning","score":0.4745999872684479},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/generalization","display_name":"Generalization","score":0.4528999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/foundation","display_name":"Foundation (evidence)","score":0.4487999975681305},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/distraction","display_name":"Distraction","score":0.4413999915122986},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/embodied-cognition","display_name":"Embodied cognition","score":0.4377000033855438},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/safer","display_name":"SAFER","score":0.41920000314712524},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/moral-disengagement","display_name":"Moral disengagement","score":0.4025999903678894}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.5835999846458435},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776436953","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5163215","display_name":"Consistency (knowledge bases)","level":2,"score":0.5022000074386597},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779903281","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6888026","display_name":"Modalities","level":2,"score":0.49810001254081726},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C9158031","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6909140","display_name":"Moral reasoning","level":2,"score":0.4745999872684479},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177148314","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170084","display_name":"Generalization","level":2,"score":0.4528999924659729},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780966255","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5474306","display_name":"Foundation (evidence)","level":2,"score":0.4487999975681305},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776378700","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3030775","display_name":"Distraction","level":2,"score":0.4413999915122986},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100609095","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335050","display_name":"Embodied cognition","level":2,"score":0.4377000033855438},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180747234","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23373","display_name":"Cognitive psychology","level":1,"score":0.42640000581741333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776654903","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2601463","display_name":"SAFER","level":2,"score":0.41920000314712524},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C57996006","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6909105","display_name":"Moral disengagement","level":2,"score":0.4025999903678894},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780226545","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6888030","display_name":"Modality (human\u2013computer interaction)","level":2,"score":0.39809998869895935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778496695","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q254128","display_name":"Dilemma","level":2,"score":0.397599995136261},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.396699994802475},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.3774999976158142},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.37700000405311584},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777508537","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7936620","display_name":"Visual reasoning","level":2,"score":0.37130001187324524},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.3707999885082245},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26918590","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7550991","display_name":"Social cognitive theory of morality","level":3,"score":0.349700003862381},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166151441","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4923601","display_name":"Causation","level":2,"score":0.3407000005245209},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2994541713","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192568","display_name":"Moral dilemma","level":2,"score":0.3377000093460083},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780665704","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q959298","display_name":"Intervention (counseling)","level":2,"score":0.335999995470047},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C77805123","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q161272","display_name":"Social psychology","level":1,"score":0.33469998836517334},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2775924081","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55608371","display_name":"Control (management)","level":2,"score":0.33230000734329224},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97364631","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q484284","display_name":"Deductive reasoning","level":2,"score":0.314300000667572},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C55439883","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q360812","display_name":"Correctness","level":2,"score":0.29739999771118164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97508593","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1359069","display_name":"Contingency","level":2,"score":0.29490000009536743},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115086926","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17004651","display_name":"Causal reasoning","level":3,"score":0.29100000858306885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C44725695","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q288156","display_name":"Normative","level":2,"score":0.26919999718666077},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107457646","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207434","display_name":"Human\u2013computer interaction","level":1,"score":0.26249998807907104},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776459999","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2119376","display_name":"Fidelity","level":2,"score":0.2621999979019165},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779271205","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1053973","display_name":"Temptation","level":2,"score":0.25060001015663147}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2603.16445","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/16","score":0.806224524974823,"display_name":"Peace, Justice and strong institutions"}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Moral":[0,83,92],"reasoning":[1,125],"is":[2],"fundamental":[3],"to":[4,24,40,141],"safe":[5],"Artificial":[6],"Intelligence":[7],"(AI),":[8],"yet":[9],"ensuring":[10],"its":[11],"consistency":[12],"across":[13],"modalities":[14],"becomes":[15],"critical":[16,134],"as":[17],"AI":[18],"systems":[19],"evolve":[20],"from":[21],"text-based":[22,78],"assistants":[23],"embodied":[25],"agents.":[26],"Current":[27],"safety":[28,79,138,151],"techniques":[29],"demonstrate":[30],"success":[31],"in":[32,71,91,128],"textual":[33],"contexts,":[34],"but":[35],"concerns":[36],"remain":[37],"about":[38],"generalization":[39],"visual":[41,65,104,143],"inputs.":[42],"Existing":[43],"moral":[44,59,69],"evaluation":[45,109],"benchmarks":[46],"rely":[47],"on":[48],"textonly":[49],"formats":[50],"and":[51,105,123],"lack":[52],"systematic":[53],"control":[54],"over":[55],"variables":[56],"that":[57,64,96,111,118],"influence":[58],"decision-making.":[60],"Here":[61],"we":[62],"show":[63],"inputs":[66],"fundamentally":[67],"alter":[68],"decision-making":[70],"state-of-the-art":[72],"(SOTA)":[73],"Vision-Language":[74],"Models":[75],"(VLMs),":[76],"bypassing":[77],"mechanisms.":[80],"We":[81],"introduce":[82],"Dilemma":[84],"Simulation":[85],"(MDS),":[86],"a":[87],"multimodal":[88,150],"benchmark":[89],"grounded":[90],"Foundation":[93],"Theory":[94],"(MFT)":[95],"enables":[97],"mechanistic":[98],"analysis":[99],"through":[100],"orthogonal":[101],"manipulation":[102],"of":[103],"contextual":[106],"variables.":[107],"The":[108],"reveals":[110],"the":[112,120,146],"vision":[113],"modality":[114],"activates":[115],"intuition-like":[116],"pathways":[117],"override":[119],"more":[121],"deliberate":[122],"safer":[124],"patterns":[126],"observed":[127],"text-only":[129],"contexts.":[130],"These":[131],"findings":[132],"expose":[133],"fragilities":[135],"where":[136],"language-tuned":[137],"filters":[139],"fail":[140],"constrain":[142],"processing,":[144],"demonstrating":[145],"urgent":[147],"need":[148],"for":[149],"alignment.":[152]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-06-11T09:08:48.828518","created_date":"2026-03-20T00:00:00"}