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The Quest for the Right Mediator: Surveying Mechanistic Interpretability Through the Lens of Causal Mediation Analysis
Created by
Haebom
Author
Aaron Mueller, Jannik Brinkmann, Millicent Li, Samuel Marks, Koyena Pal, Nikhil Prakash, Can Rager, Aruna Sankaranarayanan, Arnab Sen Sharma, Jiuding Sun, Eric Todd, David Bau, Yonatan Belinkov
Outline
This paper presents an integrated perspective on the study of the interpretability of natural language models. It points out the theoretical shortcomings and inconsistent evaluation methods of existing studies and reframes interpretability research based on causal mediation analysis. It categorizes various types of causal units (mediators) and methods for exploring them, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each, thereby assisting in selecting the most appropriate method for the research purpose. Furthermore, it offers practical recommendations for the discovery of new mediators and the development of standardized evaluation methods.
Takeaways, Limitations
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Takeaways:
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Based on causal mediation analysis, the theoretical foundation of interpretability research can be strengthened and the consistency of research methodology can be increased.
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It helps to select appropriate media and exploration methods according to the research purpose.
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Provides direction for the discovery of new media and the development of standardized assessments.
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Promotes an integrated understanding of the field of interpretability research.
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Limitations:
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Expertise in causal mediation analysis may be required.
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Further validation is needed to determine whether the proposed framework is applicable to all interpretability studies.
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Discovering new media and developing standardized assessments are tasks that require time and effort.