{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7164534207","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.13603","title":"Beyond the Commitment Boundary: Probing Epiphenomenal Chain-of-Thought in Large Reasoning Models","display_name":"Beyond the Commitment Boundary: Probing Epiphenomenal Chain-of-Thought in Large Reasoning Models","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-06-11","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7164534207","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.13603"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2606.13603","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.13603","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.2606.13603","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5092596181","display_name":"Daniel Scalena","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0518-6504"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Scalena, Daniel","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5120357294","display_name":"Sara Candussio","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Candussio, Sara","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128240755","display_name":"Luca Bortolussi","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Bortolussi, Luca","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5005702955","display_name":"Elisabetta Fersini","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8987-100X"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Fersini, Elisabetta","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5040564747","display_name":"Malvina Nissim","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5289-0971"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Nissim, Malvina","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5138541266","display_name":"Gabriele Sarti","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Sarti, Gabriele","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/T10465","display_name":"Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism","score":0.13770000636577606,"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"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10465","display_name":"Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism","score":0.13770000636577606,"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/T10028","display_name":"Topic Modeling","score":0.13289999961853027,"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/T11714","display_name":"Multimodal Machine Learning Applications","score":0.11060000211000443,"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"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/psychology-of-reasoning","display_name":"Psychology of reasoning","score":0.560699999332428},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/exploit","display_name":"Exploit","score":0.5198000073432922},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-reasoning","display_name":"Causal reasoning","score":0.5127999782562256},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/opportunistic-reasoning","display_name":"Opportunistic reasoning","score":0.49079999327659607},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/analytic-reasoning","display_name":"Analytic reasoning","score":0.4871000051498413},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/non-monotonic-logic","display_name":"Non-monotonic logic","score":0.47049999237060547},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/measure","display_name":"Measure (data warehouse)","score":0.46889999508857727},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/transition","display_name":"Transition (genetics)","score":0.4650000035762787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/qualitative-reasoning","display_name":"Qualitative reasoning","score":0.45590001344680786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/verbal-reasoning","display_name":"Verbal reasoning","score":0.42669999599456787}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.5882999897003174},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C183521366","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7256422","display_name":"Psychology of reasoning","level":4,"score":0.560699999332428},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.5546000003814697},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C165696696","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11287","display_name":"Exploit","level":2,"score":0.5198000073432922},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C115086926","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17004651","display_name":"Causal reasoning","level":3,"score":0.5127999782562256},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86827895","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7098582","display_name":"Opportunistic reasoning","level":4,"score":0.49079999327659607},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C103057564","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4751139","display_name":"Analytic reasoning","level":3,"score":0.4871000051498413},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C159032336","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2488768","display_name":"Non-monotonic logic","level":2,"score":0.47049999237060547},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780009758","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6804172","display_name":"Measure (data warehouse)","level":2,"score":0.46889999508857727},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C194232998","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1606712","display_name":"Transition (genetics)","level":3,"score":0.4650000035762787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C83725634","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7268699","display_name":"Qualitative reasoning","level":2,"score":0.45590001344680786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C36964233","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7920942","display_name":"Verbal reasoning","level":3,"score":0.42669999599456787},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776325391","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6917865","display_name":"Motivated reasoning","level":3,"score":0.42160001397132874},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C195344581","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2555318","display_name":"Automated reasoning","level":2,"score":0.41780000925064087},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C89288958","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7301504","display_name":"Reasoning system","level":2,"score":0.4154999852180481},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C97364631","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q484284","display_name":"Deductive reasoning","level":2,"score":0.40860000252723694},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C37335422","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6888134","display_name":"Model-based reasoning","level":3,"score":0.40720000863075256},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2777210771","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4927124","display_name":"Block (permutation group theory)","level":2,"score":0.39469999074935913},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C20162079","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1151406","display_name":"Case-based reasoning","level":2,"score":0.3939000070095062},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C99844830","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102441924","display_name":"Scaling","level":2,"score":0.38260000944137573},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C204321447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30642","display_name":"Natural language processing","level":1,"score":0.3628999888896942},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2985612853","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q185816","display_name":"Analogical reasoning","level":3,"score":0.36010000109672546},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780451532","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q759676","display_name":"Task (project management)","level":2,"score":0.3578000068664551},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11671645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054567","display_name":"Causal model","level":2,"score":0.31949999928474426},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C80444323","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2878974","display_name":"Theoretical computer science","level":1,"score":0.2888999879360199},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.27880001068115234},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188147891","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q147638","display_name":"Cognitive science","level":1,"score":0.2750000059604645},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C59656382","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q191536","display_name":"Conjunction (astronomy)","level":2,"score":0.27070000767707825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C128913409","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3566063","display_name":"Belief revision","level":2,"score":0.26019999384880066},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C107848011","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4680756","display_name":"Adaptive reasoning","level":4,"score":0.2581999897956848},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779843651","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7390335","display_name":"SIGNAL (programming language)","level":2,"score":0.2581000030040741},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780801425","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5164392","display_name":"Construct (python library)","level":2,"score":0.25690001249313354},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C193221554","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5153664","display_name":"Commonsense reasoning","level":2,"score":0.2535000145435333},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C43971567","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3142865","display_name":"Logical reasoning","level":2,"score":0.25279998779296875},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.25099998712539673}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2606.13603","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.13603","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.2606.13603","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2606.13603","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":[{"score":0.4998064935207367,"display_name":"Reduced inequalities","id":"https://metadata.un.org/sdg/10"}],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Chain-of-thought":[0],"(CoT)":[1],"reasoning":[2,46,58,89,120,130,138],"is":[3,93],"the":[4,14,21,45,87,101,141,145],"dominant":[5],"paradigm":[6],"for":[7],"inference-time":[8],"scaling":[9],"in":[10,81],"language":[11],"models,":[12],"yet":[13],"causal":[15,30],"influence":[16],"of":[17,48,147],"individual":[18],"steps":[19,98,121],"on":[20,152,157],"final":[22,102],"answer":[23,103],"poorly":[24],"understood.":[25],"We":[26,132],"estimate":[27],"each":[28],"step's":[29],"importance":[31],"via":[32],"early":[33],"exit":[34],"and":[35,92,125],"use":[36],"this":[37,134],"measure":[38],"to":[39,72,128,136,150],"study":[40],"how":[41],"answers":[42],"form":[43],"across":[44],"traces":[47],"several":[49],"model":[50,158],"families.":[51],"Across":[52],"diverse":[53],"tasks,":[54],"we":[55,109],"find":[56],"that":[57,99,111],"typically":[59],"crosses":[60],"a":[61,65,73,82],"\\emph{commitment":[62],"boundary}":[63],"--":[64],"sharp":[66],"transition":[67,78],"from":[68,118],"transient":[69],"intermediate":[70,119],"guesses":[71],"stable,":[74],"high-confidence":[75],"answer.":[76],"This":[77],"often":[79],"happens":[80],"single":[83],"step,":[84],"well":[85],"before":[86],"model's":[88],"block":[90],"ends,":[91],"followed":[94],"by":[95],"\\emph{epiphenomenal}":[96],"CoT":[97],"leave":[100],"probability":[104],"unaltered.":[105],"Using":[106],"attention":[107],"probes,":[108],"show":[110],"answer-formation":[112],"stages":[113],"can":[114],"be":[115],"linearly":[116],"decoded":[117],"with":[122,154],"high":[123],"accuracy":[124],"generalize":[126],"robustly":[127],"unseen":[129],"tasks.":[131],"exploit":[133],"signal":[135],"early-exit":[137],"blocks":[139],"at":[140],"commitment":[142],"boundary,":[143],"reducing":[144],"length":[146],"CoTs":[148],"up":[149],"55\\%":[151],"average":[153],"negligible":[155],"impact":[156],"performance.":[159]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-28T07:46:37.118299","created_date":"2026-06-13T00:00:00"}
