Grokking as a Falsifiable Finite-Size Transition
Abstract
Grokking -- the delayed onset of generalization after early memorization -- is often described with phase-transition language, but that claim has lacked falsifiable finite-size inputs. Here we supply those inputs by treating the group order of as an admissible extensive variable and a held-out spectral head-tail contrast as a representation-level order parameter, then apply a condensed-matter-style diagnostic chain to coarse-grid sweeps and a dense near-critical addition audit. Binder-like crossings reveal a shared finite-size boundary, and susceptibility comparison strongly disfavors a smooth-crossover interpretation ( in the near-critical audit). Phase-transition language in grokking can therefore be tested as a quantitative finite-size claim rather than invoked as analogy alone, although the transition order remains unresolved at present.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2603.24746,
title = {Grokking as a Falsifiable Finite-Size Transition},
author = {Yuda Bi and Chenyu Zhang and Qiheng Wang and Vince D Calhoun},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.24746},
year = {2026}
}