Symmetric　cell　configuration　is　commonly　used　for　the　study　of　reaction　mechanism　and　kinetics　of　oxygen　reduction　reaction　(ORR)　and/or　oxygen　evolution　reaction　(OER)　of　solid　oxide　cells　(SOCs)　to　avoid　the　issues　associated　with　the　possible　inaccuracy　and　errors　of　the　reference　electrode　in　three-electrode　cell　configuration.　The　electrode　impedance　behavior　and　reaction　parameters　such　as　electrode　polarization　resistance　are　taken　as　half　of　the　measured　overall　value　of　the　cell,　based　on　the　assumption　that　the　oxygen　reaction　measured　on　the　symmetric　electrodes　is　completely　reversible.　However,　the　applicability　of　symmetric　cell　configuration　for　such　mechanistic　studies　of　oxygen　reaction　has　never　been　verified　with　respect　to　the　electrode　materials.　In　this　paper,　the　reversibility　of　symmetric　cell　configuration　is　investigated　on　model　electrodes　of　platinum　(Pt),　La0.8Sr0.2MnO3　(LSM)　and　La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3　(LSCF)　using　a　three-electrode　configuration.　The　results　indicate　the　reversibility　of　ORR　at　working　electrode　and　OER　at　counter　electrode　depends　strongly　on　the　reversibility　of　the　electrode/electrolyte　interface　for　the　oxygen　incorporation/exsolution　process,　which　in　turn　is　closely　related　to　the　oxygen　ionic　conductivity　of　the　electrode　and　in　less　extent　to　the　ionic　conductivity　of　the　electrolyte.　Therefore,　LSCF　electrode　shows　a　much　high　degree　of　reversibility　as　compared　to　LSM,　while　for　the　reaction　on　Pt　electrode,　the　oxygen　reaction　is　essentially　not　reversible.　This　study　clearly　indicates　that　the　applicability　of　the　symmetric　cell　configuration　for　the　mechanistic　study　of　electrode　reactions　in　SOCs　is　closely　related　to　the　reversibility　in　the　molecular　level　(the　individual　reaction　steps)　as　well　as　the　interface　level　(the　regions　where　the　individual　reaction　steps　occur).　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.