Definition · foundations
reflection
reflection is a step in which an agent reviews earlier work and uses the review to change what it does next. You can spot reflection in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does reflection matter?
A review step can find a gap before work ends. It needs evidence, since the model may repeat its first error. For reflection, start with three checks: What can the system observe? What choice can it make? What changes after it acts? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does reflection look like?
An agent checks its draft against the source list and adds a missing citation. This example makes reflection visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is reflection easy to confuse with?
Reflection reviews a run or draft. Feedback learning changes later behavior from past results. The closest entries here are red teaming, role-based agent, passive validation. Compare their definitions with reflection before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps reflection separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is marked source checked because ACL Anthology supports its main points. The date shows when we last read that source. If you are making a purchase, policy, safety, or design decision, open the source first and make sure its limits fit the decision in front of you.
Who introduced the term reflection?
The source shows how reflection is used, but it does not prove who said it first. We name an origin only when a dated, direct record supports it. If that record is missing, we leave the question open instead of repeating a popular story as fact.
What should you understand before reflection?
Read artificial intelligence (AI) first when reflection depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use reflection to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What can the system observe?
- What choice can it make?
- What changes after it acts?
Which source supports this definition of reflection?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of reflection. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to reflection; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
direct supportreflectionChecked 2026-07-12→