{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7128698738","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.10625","title":"To Think or Not To Think, That is The Question for Large Reasoning Models in Theory of Mind Tasks","display_name":"To Think or Not To Think, That is The Question for Large Reasoning Models in Theory of Mind Tasks","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-02-11","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7128698738","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.10625"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.10625","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"publisher-specific-oa","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/publisher-specific-oa","version":"submittedVersion","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":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5029337636","display_name":"Nanxu Gong","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0006-4534-8395"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Gong, Nanxu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":null,"display_name":"Li, Haotian","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Li, Haotian","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5125713068","display_name":"Sixun Dong","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Dong, Sixun","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5125776317","display_name":"Jianxun Lian","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Lian, Jianxun","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5125746794","display_name":"Yanjie Fu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Fu, Yanjie","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5101255352","display_name":"Xing Xie","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Xie, Xing","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":6,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5029337636"],"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/T10656","display_name":"Child and Animal Learning Development","score":0.21889999508857727,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3204","display_name":"Developmental and Educational 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/T10656","display_name":"Child and Animal Learning Development","score":0.21889999508857727,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3204","display_name":"Developmental and Educational 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/T12026","display_name":"Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)","score":0.1256999969482422,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1702","display_name":"Artificial Intelligence"},"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/T11883","display_name":"Embodied and Extended Cognition","score":0.08730000257492065,"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/psychology-of-reasoning","display_name":"Psychology of reasoning","score":0.70660001039505},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/inference","display_name":"Inference","score":0.6072999835014343},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/analytic-reasoning","display_name":"Analytic reasoning","score":0.5879999995231628},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/task","display_name":"Task (project management)","score":0.5591999888420105},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/deductive-reasoning","display_name":"Deductive reasoning","score":0.5473999977111816},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/matching","display_name":"Matching (statistics)","score":0.5406000018119812},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/qualitative-reasoning","display_name":"Qualitative reasoning","score":0.45570001006126404},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/verbal-reasoning","display_name":"Verbal reasoning","score":0.4521999955177307},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/reasoning-system","display_name":"Reasoning system","score":0.4498000144958496},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/theory-of-mind","display_name":"Theory of mind","score":0.44699999690055847}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C183521366","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7256422","display_name":"Psychology of reasoning","level":4,"score":0.70660001039505},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776214188","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q408386","display_name":"Inference","level":2,"score":0.6072999835014343},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C103057564","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4751139","display_name":"Analytic reasoning","level":3,"score":0.5879999995231628},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780451532","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q759676","display_name":"Task (project management)","level":2,"score":0.5591999888420105},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5569999814033508},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97364631","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q484284","display_name":"Deductive reasoning","level":2,"score":0.5473999977111816},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C165064840","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1321061","display_name":"Matching (statistics)","level":2,"score":0.5406000018119812},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.47360000014305115},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C83725634","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7268699","display_name":"Qualitative reasoning","level":2,"score":0.45570001006126404},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C36964233","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7920942","display_name":"Verbal reasoning","level":3,"score":0.4521999955177307},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C89288958","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7301504","display_name":"Reasoning system","level":2,"score":0.4498000144958496},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779560602","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q639219","display_name":"Theory of mind","level":3,"score":0.44699999690055847},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.42089998722076416},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86827895","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7098582","display_name":"Opportunistic reasoning","level":4,"score":0.41620001196861267},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C180747234","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23373","display_name":"Cognitive psychology","level":1,"score":0.4018999934196472},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C193221554","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5153664","display_name":"Commonsense reasoning","level":2,"score":0.3910999894142151},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C169900460","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2200417","display_name":"Cognition","level":2,"score":0.3806999921798706},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195344581","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2555318","display_name":"Automated reasoning","level":2,"score":0.37869998812675476},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777508537","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7936620","display_name":"Visual reasoning","level":2,"score":0.36730000376701355},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C37335422","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6888134","display_name":"Model-based reasoning","level":3,"score":0.36010000109672546},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C159032336","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2488768","display_name":"Non-monotonic logic","level":2,"score":0.34299999475479126},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780665704","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q959298","display_name":"Intervention (counseling)","level":2,"score":0.33250001072883606},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C20162079","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1151406","display_name":"Case-based reasoning","level":2,"score":0.33230000734329224},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C66024118","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1122506","display_name":"Computational model","level":2,"score":0.3312999904155731},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115086926","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17004651","display_name":"Causal reasoning","level":3,"score":0.32109999656677246},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2982912361","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1851867","display_name":"Mental model","level":2,"score":0.32019999623298645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C15744967","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9418","display_name":"Psychology","level":0,"score":0.3156000077724457},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166088908","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q308495","display_name":"Abductive reasoning","level":2,"score":0.30219998955726624},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C140843580","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q840067","display_name":"Defeasible reasoning","level":2,"score":0.2922999858856201},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86658582","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1432778","display_name":"Social cognition","level":3,"score":0.28790000081062317},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107848011","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4680756","display_name":"Adaptive reasoning","level":4,"score":0.2842999994754791},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C175154964","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q380077","display_name":"Task analysis","level":3,"score":0.2808000147342682},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776325391","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917865","display_name":"Motivated reasoning","level":3,"score":0.27000001072883606}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.10625","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"publisher-specific-oa","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/publisher-specific-oa","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.10625","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2602.10625","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":null,"license_id":null,"version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"pmh:doi:10.48550/arxiv.2602.10625","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":null,"pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4406922384","display_name":"Open MIND","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"publisher-specific-oa","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/publisher-specific-oa","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[{"id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/4","score":0.43173307180404663,"display_name":"Quality Education"}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Theory":[0],"of":[1,57,133,189],"Mind":[2],"(ToM)":[3],"assesses":[4],"whether":[5,45],"models":[6,66,69,80,86,147],"can":[7],"infer":[8],"hidden":[9],"mental":[10],"states":[11],"such":[12],"as":[13,104],"beliefs,":[14],"desires,":[15],"and":[16,39,87,108,116,169,177],"intentions,":[17],"which":[18],"is":[19,42],"essential":[20],"for":[21],"natural":[22],"social":[23,207],"interaction.":[24],"Although":[25],"recent":[26],"progress":[27],"in":[28,37,191,206],"Large":[29,60],"Reasoning":[30],"Models":[31,62],"(LRMs)":[32],"has":[33],"boosted":[34],"step-by-step":[35],"inference":[36],"mathematics":[38],"coding,":[40],"it":[41],"still":[43],"underexplored":[44],"this":[46],"benefit":[47],"transfers":[48],"to":[49,174,201],"socio-cognitive":[50],"skills.":[51],"We":[52,159,209],"present":[53],"a":[54,203],"systematic":[55],"study":[56,185],"nine":[58],"advanced":[59],"Language":[61],"(LLMs),":[63],"comparing":[64],"reasoning":[65,79,110,118,122,146,168,193,221],"with":[67],"non-reasoning":[68,85],"on":[70,152],"three":[71,95],"representative":[72],"ToM":[73,214],"benchmarks.":[74],"The":[75],"results":[76],"show":[77],"that":[78,211],"do":[81],"not":[82],"consistently":[83],"outperform":[84],"sometimes":[88],"perform":[89],"worse.":[90],"A":[91],"fine-grained":[92],"analysis":[93],"reveals":[94],"insights.":[96],"First,":[97],"slow":[98],"thinking":[99],"collapses:":[100],"accuracy":[101],"significantly":[102],"drops":[103],"responses":[105],"grow":[106],"longer,":[107],"larger":[109],"budgets":[111],"hurt":[112],"performance.":[113],"Second,":[114],"moderate":[115],"adaptive":[117,167],"benefits":[119],"performance:":[120],"constraining":[121],"length":[123],"mitigates":[124],"failure,":[125],"while":[126],"distinct":[127],"success":[128],"patterns":[129],"demonstrate":[130],"the":[131,179,187],"necessity":[132],"dynamic":[134],"adaptation.":[135],"Third,":[136],"option":[137,153],"matching":[138,154],"shortcut:":[139],"when":[140],"multiple":[141],"choice":[142],"options":[143],"are":[144],"removed,":[145],"improve":[148],"markedly,":[149],"indicating":[150],"reliance":[151],"rather":[155],"than":[156],"genuine":[157],"deduction.":[158],"also":[160],"design":[161],"two":[162],"intervention":[163],"approaches:":[164],"Slow-to-Fast":[165],"(S2F)":[166],"Think-to-Match":[170],"(T2M)":[171],"shortcut":[172],"prevention":[173],"further":[175],"verify":[176],"mitigate":[178],"problems.":[180],"With":[181],"all":[182],"results,":[183],"our":[184],"highlights":[186],"advancement":[188],"LRMs":[190],"formal":[192],"(e.g.,":[194],"math,":[195],"code)":[196],"cannot":[197],"be":[198],"fully":[199],"transferred":[200],"ToM,":[202],"typical":[204],"task":[205],"reasoning.":[208],"conclude":[210],"achieving":[212],"robust":[213],"requires":[215],"developing":[216],"unique":[217],"capabilities":[218],"beyond":[219],"existing":[220],"methods.":[222]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-04-04T16:13:02.066488","created_date":"2026-02-13T00:00:00"}
