通过控制逻辑连接词选择,提升大模型推理链的稳定性。
Where Reasoning Breaks: Logic-Aware Path Selection by Controlling Logical Connectives in LLMs Reasoning Chains

- 在逻辑关键节点干预连接词选择,引导正确推理方向。
- 在多个推理数据集上准确率提升5%-12%,且效率优于传统搜索方法。
- 适合需要高可靠推理的场景,如数学证明、法律分析。
尽管大语言模型在多步逻辑推理中展现出强大能力,但其仍存在脆弱性:单个推理步骤错误会沿链条传播,导致结果不稳定。本文发现逻辑连接词是结构性脆弱的关键点。实证分析显示,连接词作为高熵分支点,模型常难以确定正确的逻辑方向。为此,我们提出一种分层干预框架,聚焦于逻辑关键节点:(1)基于梯度的逻辑引导,将模型内部表征推向有效推理空间;(2)局部分支搜索,通过定向前瞻解决歧义;(3)目标化转移偏好优化,以强化学习方式仅对逻辑转折点进行单标记偏好优化。该框架仅在逻辑关键过渡处干预,相比全局扩展方法(如束搜索、自一致)实现了更优的准确性-效率平衡。实验表明,在MATH、GSM8K等数据集上,准确率平均提升5%-12%。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
While LLMs demonstrate impressive reasoning capabilities, they remain fragile in multi-step logical deduction, where a single transition error can propagate through the entire reasoning chain, leading to unstable performance. In this work, we identify logical connectives as primary points of this structural fragility. Through empirical analysis, we show that connective tokens function as high entropy forking points, at which models frequently struggle to determine the correct logical direction. Motivated by this observation, we hypothesize that intervening in logical connective selection can guide LLMs toward more correct logical direction, thereby improving the overall reasoning chain. To validate this hypothesis, we propose a multi-layered framework that intervenes specifically at these logic-critical junctions in the reasoning process. Our framework includes (1) Gradient-based Logical Steering to guide LLMs internal representations towards valid reasoning subspaces, (2) Localized Branching to resolve ambiguity via targeted look-ahead search, and (3) Targeted Transition Preference Optimization, a surgical reinforcement learning objective that selectively optimizes single-token preferences at logical pivots. Crucially, by concentrating intervention solely on logic-critical transitions, our framework achieves a favorable accuracy--efficiency trade-off compared to global inference time scaling methods like beam search and self-consistency.
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