Aligning MLLM Benchmark With Human Preferences via Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract: Evaluating multimodal LLMs (MLLMs) remains a fundamental challenge due to a lack of structured, interpretable, and theoretically grounded benchmark designs. Existing benchmarks often adopt heuristic-based task groupings with unclear cognitive targets, thus resulting in overlapping abilities, redundant indicators, and limited diagnostic power. In this work, we propose a novel framework for aligning MLLM benchmark based on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze and quantify the internal validity, dimensional separability, and contribution of benchmark components. Motivated by the observed limitations of current designs, we further introduce a novel capability hierarchy grounded in Piagets theory of cognitive development, dividing MLLM abilities into three hierarchical layers, i.e., Perception, Memory, and Reasoning. We reorganize existing MLLM benchmarks under the proposed framework and construct a new benchmark named Gold. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed benchmark exhibits stronger interpretability, reduced indicator redundancy, and clearer cognitive consistency compared to existing approaches.