用合适的发散度方法,解决大模型强化学习中多样性崩溃问题。
The Choice of Divergence: A Neglected Key to Mitigating Diversity Collapse in Reinforcement Learning with Verifiable Reward
- 采用覆盖性发散度(如前向KL)保持策略多样性,防止知识遗忘。
- 在数学和SQL生成任务上,同时提升单次通过率和多次尝试通过率。
- 无需在线参考模型,训练更高效,适合构建通用推理模型。
大型语言模型在强化学习与可验证奖励(RLVR)微调中存在一个核心矛盾:尽管单次尝试准确率(Pass@1)提升,但多次尝试成功率(Pass@k)却经常下降,伴随灾难性遗忘。现有方法普遍忽视了发散项的选择作用。标准的逆KL或无发散项的目标均缺乏知识保留机制:逆KL会压缩策略加速衰退,而无发散项则无法阻止模型偏离原有知识分布。本文提出一种新视角——将发散项本身作为解决方案。所提框架DPH-RL采用质量覆盖型f-发散(如前向KL、JS散度),通过持续参照初始策略,强制模型保持广泛解空间覆盖。在数学与SQL生成任务上的实验表明,DPH-RL不仅解决了Pass@k下降问题,还提升了域内与域外的Pass@1和Pass@k表现。此外,该方法利用生成函数计算发散度,仅需采样初始策略,无需在线参考模型,训练效率更高。本工作揭示了选择合适发散度是改进RLVR的关键,为构建更具泛化性和多样性的推理模型提供了有力工具。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
A central paradox in fine-tuning Large Language Models (LLMs) with Reinforcement Learning with Verifiable Reward (RLVR) is the frequent degradation of multi-attempt performance (Pass@k) despite improvements in single-attempt accuracy (Pass@1). This is often accompanied by catastrophic forgetting, where models lose previously acquired skills. While various methods have been proposed, the choice and function of the divergence term have been surprisingly unexamined as a proactive solution. We argue that standard RLVR objectives -- both those using the mode-seeking reverse KL-divergence and those forgoing a divergence term entirely -- lack a crucial mechanism for knowledge retention. The reverse-KL actively accelerates this decay by narrowing the policy, while its absence provides no safeguard against the model drifting from its diverse knowledge base. We propose a fundamental shift in perspective: using the divergence term itself as the solution. Our framework, Diversity-Preserving Hybrid RL (DPH-RL), leverages mass-covering f-divergences (like forward-KL and JS-divergence) to function as a rehearsal mechanism. By continuously referencing the initial policy, this approach forces the model to maintain broad solution coverage. Extensive experiments on math and SQL generation demonstrate that DPH-RL not only resolves the Pass@k degradation but improves both Pass@1 and Pass@k in- and out-of-domain. Additionally, DPH-RL is more training-efficient because it computes f-divergence using generator functions, requiring only sampling from the initial policy and no online reference model. Our work highlights a crucial, overlooked axis for improving RLVR, demonstrating that the proper selection of a divergence measure is a powerful tool for building more general and diverse reasoning models.
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