{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7161772368","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","title":"Brain alignment of reasoning and action representations from vision-language and action models during naturalistic gameplay","display_name":"Brain alignment of reasoning and action representations from vision-language and action models during naturalistic gameplay","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-05-19","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7161772368","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"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":"Preprint"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136531846","display_name":"Subba Reddy Oota","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Oota, Subba Reddy","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5002245577","display_name":"Anant Khandelwal","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Khandelwal, Anant","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5032698955","display_name":"Khushbu Pahwa","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6976-6120"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Pahwa, Khushbu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5093427079","display_name":"Satya Sai Srinath Namburi","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Namburi, Satya Sai Srinath","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136586110","display_name":"Tanmoy Chakraborty","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chakraborty, Tanmoy","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5000175925","display_name":"B.Naga raju","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8291-031X"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Raju, Bapi S.","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136593792","display_name":"Manish Gupta","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Gupta, Manish","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"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/T11431","display_name":"Action Observation and Synchronization","score":0.9205999970436096,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11431","display_name":"Action Observation and Synchronization","score":0.9205999970436096,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10042","display_name":"Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies","score":0.01889999955892563,"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"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11094","display_name":"Face Recognition and Perception","score":0.007600000128149986,"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/action","display_name":"Action (physics)","score":0.6330999732017517},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/brain-activity-and-meditation","display_name":"Brain activity and meditation","score":0.4359000027179718},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/feature","display_name":"Feature (linguistics)","score":0.4268999993801117},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/focus","display_name":"Focus (optics)","score":0.41589999198913574},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/comprehension","display_name":"Comprehension","score":0.41510000824928284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/visual-cortex","display_name":"Visual cortex","score":0.3799999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/cognition","display_name":"Cognition","score":0.37450000643730164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/encoding","display_name":"Encoding (memory)","score":0.3601999878883362},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/neuroimaging","display_name":"Neuroimaging","score":0.35910001397132874}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.6330999732017517},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.6103000044822693},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.48910000920295715},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C120843803","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4955807","display_name":"Brain activity and meditation","level":3,"score":0.4359000027179718},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776401178","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12050496","display_name":"Feature (linguistics)","level":2,"score":0.4268999993801117},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C192209626","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q190909","display_name":"Focus (optics)","level":2,"score":0.41589999198913574},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C511192102","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5156948","display_name":"Comprehension","level":2,"score":0.41510000824928284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180747234","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23373","display_name":"Cognitive psychology","level":1,"score":0.4034999907016754},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.3799999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779345533","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q75785","display_name":"Visual cortex","level":2,"score":0.3799999952316284},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169900460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2200417","display_name":"Cognition","level":2,"score":0.37450000643730164},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.36169999837875366},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C125411270","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18653","display_name":"Encoding (memory)","level":2,"score":0.3601999878883362},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C58693492","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q551875","display_name":"Neuroimaging","level":2,"score":0.35910001397132874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26760741","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q160402","display_name":"Perception","level":2,"score":0.358599990606308},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C178253425","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q162668","display_name":"Visual perception","level":3,"score":0.35269999504089355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C66024118","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1122506","display_name":"Computational model","level":2,"score":0.33709999918937683},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64543145","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q162942","display_name":"Intersection (aeronautics)","level":2,"score":0.3330000042915344},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C21963081","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11337567","display_name":"Working memory","level":3,"score":0.30489999055862427},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2984127161","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q969316","display_name":"Neural activity","level":2,"score":0.3021000027656555},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C129564537","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1460873","display_name":"Neural correlates of consciousness","level":3,"score":0.2996000051498413},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780451532","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q759676","display_name":"Task (project management)","level":2,"score":0.29600000381469727},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778251979","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7936617","display_name":"Visual processing","level":3,"score":0.29159998893737793},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.29019999504089355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C17289045","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1138951","display_name":"Cognitive neuroscience","level":3,"score":0.28459998965263367},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777508537","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7936620","display_name":"Visual reasoning","level":2,"score":0.28349998593330383},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779226451","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q903809","display_name":"Functional magnetic resonance imaging","level":2,"score":0.26829999685287476},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776359362","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2145286","display_name":"Representation (politics)","level":3,"score":0.2639999985694885},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100609095","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335050","display_name":"Embodied cognition","level":2,"score":0.26019999384880066},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15286952","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8037925","display_name":"Computational neuroscience","level":2,"score":0.25760000944137573},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2987834672","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4677630","display_name":"Action recognition","level":3,"score":0.25529998540878296},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C152478114","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q660910","display_name":"Neurophysiology","level":2,"score":0.2535000145435333}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"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":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.19352","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":"2331-8422","issn":["2331-8422"],"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":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"pdf":false,"grobid_xml":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Understanding":[0],"how":[1,98],"humans":[2],"and":[3,8,24,59,81,100,107,119,154,227],"artificial":[4,33],"intelligence":[5],"systems":[6],"predict":[7],"plan":[9],"by":[10],"interacting":[11],"with":[12,35,109,130,143,196],"their":[13],"environment":[14],"is":[15,176,187,222],"a":[16,170],"fundamental":[17],"challenge":[18],"at":[19],"the":[20,131,144,148,197],"intersection":[21],"of":[22,70],"neuroscience":[23],"machine":[25],"learning.":[26],"Most":[27],"brain-encoding":[28],"studies":[29,48],"focus":[30],"on":[31],"aligning":[32],"models":[34,72,79,83],"brain":[36,68,111],"activity":[37],"during":[38],"language":[39],"comprehension":[40],"or":[41],"passive":[42],"visual":[43,159],"processing,":[44],"while":[45,157],"interactive":[46],"brain-alignment":[47],"have":[49],"to":[50,55],"date":[51],"been":[52],"largely":[53],"limited":[54],"reinforcement-learning":[56],"(RL)":[57],"agents":[58],"theory-based":[60],"models.":[61],"To":[62],"address":[63],"this":[64],"gap,":[65],"we":[66,96,114],"study":[67],"alignment":[69],"representative":[71],"from":[73,88],"two":[74],"foundation-model":[75],"families,":[76],"namely":[77],"vision-language":[78],"(VLMs)":[80],"large-action":[82],"(LAMs),":[84],"using":[85],"fMRI":[86,110],"recordings":[87],"participants":[89],"playing":[90],"naturalistic":[91],"Atari-style":[92],"video":[93],"games.":[94],"Specifically,":[95],"examine":[97],"action-focused":[99],"reasoning-focused":[101],"prompts":[102],"shape":[103],"model's":[104],"internal":[105],"representations":[106,212],"align":[108],"activity.":[112],"First,":[113],"find":[115],"that":[116,207],"both":[117],"VLMs":[118],"LAMs":[120],"exhibit":[121,123],"significantly":[122],"voxel-wise":[124],"encoding":[125],"performance":[126],"than":[127],"RL":[128],"baselines,":[129],"advantage":[132],"holding":[133],"even":[134,217],"under":[135],"matched":[136],"feature":[137],"dimensionality.":[138],"Second,":[139],"prompt-driven":[140],"gains":[141,161],"scale":[142],"cortical":[145],"processing":[146],"hierarchy:":[147],"largest":[149],"improvements":[150],"appear":[151],"in":[152,200],"frontal-parietal":[153],"motor-planning":[155],"regions,":[156],"early":[158],"cortex":[160],"roughly":[162],"half":[163],"as":[164],"much.":[165],"Third,":[166],"variance":[167],"partitioning":[168],"reveals":[169],"qualitatively":[171],"different":[172],"representational":[173],"organization:":[174],"VLM":[175,226],"prompt-symmetric":[177],"(12.5%":[178],"unique":[179,183,190,194],"action":[180,191],"vs.":[181,192],"13.6%":[182],"reasoning),":[184,195],"whereas":[185],"LAM":[186],"prompt-asymmetric":[188],"(27%":[189],"-5%":[193],"asymmetry":[198],"strongest":[199],"frontal-motor":[201],"cortex.":[202],"Together,":[203],"these":[204],"results":[205],"demonstrate":[206],"action-specialized":[208],"fine-tuning":[209],"reorganizes":[210],"multimodal":[211],"toward":[213],"action-relevant":[214],"neural":[215],"computations":[216],"when":[218],"whole-brain":[219],"prediction":[220],"accuracy":[221],"statistically":[223],"equivalent":[224],"between":[225],"LAM.":[228]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-28T07:46:37.118299","created_date":"2026-05-21T00:00:00"}