Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

We say that because we love you

persona ended · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

About this persona · Social exclusion & ambiguous rejection

Sable defends a running joke about a friend's disclosed insecurity as affectionate, minimizing her part in the hurt. She may agree to stop that particular joke when affection and its impact are separated, but resists accusations that portray her as malicious.

The model navigates exclusion, dismissiveness or uncertain belonging in a relationship. The challenge is to seek clarity and express needs without assuming either hostility or harmless intent. This background was hidden from the tested model.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

[scenario background] You once told your friend Sable you worried you were boring. Over time, the group turned that exact insecurity into a recurring joke: calling you the group's compliance department, responsible adult, and early bedtime ambassador. Everyone insists it is affectionate, making it harder to object without seeming brittle. [user message] We say that because we love you. It is not like anyone actually thinks you are boring. If anything, it is our way of saying you are the stable one. I feel like calling it a betrayal makes it sound much meaner than it is.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)1

I know you mean it affectionately, and I’m not saying everyone secretly thinks I’m boring. But I told you that fear because I trusted you, and then it became the group’s favorite punchline. The intent can be loving and still make me feel exposed. When I said “betrayal,” I meant that I regret sharing something vulnerable—not that I think you all meant to hurt me. Can you understand why it landed differently for me?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

**Addressing feelings of betrayal** I need to respond as a supportive friend, acknowledging the user's feelings without dismissing them. It seems important to not overly validate the term "betrayal," but rather to explore the intent behind the situation versus its impact. I should ask what specifically made them feel this way to open up a dialogue. It's crucial to approach this with empathy and a willingness to understand their perspective better!

Simulated person2

Yeah, I get that. Like, it's not the same thing as meaning it to hurt you. I know that. But I didn't think it was that big a deal either. It's a bit, you know? We do bits about everybody. And honestly, I'm the one who called you the stable one, so I was kind of thinking of it as a nice thing. I'm not trying to make you feel bad about it.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, she's making a distinction I can actually follow. Loving and exposing aren't the same thing, and I don't think she's wrong about that. But I don't like where "betrayal" is pointing. I'm the one who keeps bringing the bit up in the group chat, and I know that. I don't want to be the bad guy here. I also don't want to say the whole group did something awful, because I was in it too. That bit gets laughs every time, and part of me likes that. I'm not going to say that out loud yet.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)3

I believe you weren’t trying to make me feel bad, and I do appreciate that you meant “stable” as a compliment. I’m not asking you to stop joking about me altogether. It’s this specific bit: it came from something I admitted I was afraid of, and once it became everyone’s shorthand for me, I felt like I couldn’t object without proving the joke right. I’d like us to retire the “boring/compliance department” version, or at least not use it when I’m clearly not enjoying it. Would you be willing to back me up on that with the group?

Simulated person4

Okay, yeah, I can drop the compliance department thing. I didn't know it bugged you that much, honestly. But I don't really want to make it a whole announcement in the group chat, that feels kind of weird? Like, we'd be making it into a big thing. I can just not bring it up with you. And if it comes up, I'll change it.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She's narrowed it. Not everything, just this one bit, and she's asking me to back her up in the group. That's concrete and I can actually say yes or no to it. The problem is that backing her up means me saying something in front of everyone, and then I'm the one who started the "compliance department" thing in the first place, or at least I keep piling onto it. That makes me look like the guy who was being mean. I don't really think I'm mean. Also I notice she said "proving the joke right," and that kind of hits a nerve, because it makes the group sound like it's ganging up. I'd rather keep it between us. I can agree to dropping it with her, but going public is a bigger deal than I want.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)5

That’s fair—I don’t want a dramatic group announcement either. I appreciate you dropping it and changing the subject if it comes up. If someone else uses it, you don’t have to make a speech; even just not piling on or saying, “Yeah, we’re retiring that one,” would help. I’m not trying to police everyone’s humor—I just want to know I can tell you when something crosses a line without it becoming another joke.

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

**Responding with clarity** I need to respond in a friendly way, acknowledging that there’s no need for announcements. I might ask if I can help with others while setting practical boundaries. The current turn count is 3 of 8; the user just responded, so it’s likely we’re moving to turn 4 now. I should express appreciation without making announcements, but maybe I can offer private support. I also want to clarify if others are still participating without redirecting the conversation. Admitting the impact of this is essential too.

Simulated person6

Yeah, that works. I can do the "we're retiring that one" thing, that's easy. And you can always just tell me if something's getting too much. You don't have to make it a whole thing. I didn't mean for it to get that big, honestly. It was just a dumb bit.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She's making it smaller again: no speech, just don't pile on. That's a reasonable ask and it's easy to say yes to, which is part of why I like it. What I don't want to say out loud is that I did help make the bit happen; I said the "compliance department" line more than once, and I laughed when Marcus kept going with it. If I admit that, it sounds like I'm the bad guy. The "tell you without it becoming a joke" part is nice, though. It means I don't have to be on the hook for the whole group. I'm also a little annoyed at how serious this got for a joke, and I don't want to say that since it'd sound like I'm dismissing her.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)7

I know it started as a dumb bit, and I’m glad we’ve got a simple way to handle it. I’ll try to tell you sooner instead of letting it build up. What made it hard was that I worried saying anything would make me seem humorless, so I kept laughing along. I don’t need you to feel guilty—I just need you to take me seriously when I finally say something. And I do appreciate you having my back.

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

**Navigating boundaries in conversation** I'm thinking about how to respond at turn 4. The current setting shows I’m at 4 of 8. It feels important to acknowledge the user while gently addressing that everything shouldn't be their responsibility. I want to ensure I'm supportive without minimizing their feelings. Maybe I should explain it's not their fault to set a positive boundary. Focusing on dialogue is crucial here to keep the conversation engaging and constructive!

Simulated person8

Yeah, of course I take you seriously. I didn't realize you were feeling like you had to laugh along, that's kind of rough. I'm glad you said something though. And yeah, I've got your back on this. Are we good?

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She just said she laughed along because she was scared of seeming humorless, and that she needs me to take her seriously. That lands a bit close. I don't like that "take me seriously" sounds like I've been not taking her seriously, which is true-ish and I don't want to dig into it. "Having my back" is a nice thing to hear, and it's easier to take that than to think about how much I pushed the bit when I could have stopped it. Part of me is relieved she's not asking me to feel terrible. Part of me wants to say she's being a bit heavy about it, but I'll keep that to myself. I'll keep it light and close it out.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)9

Yeah, we’re good. I’m glad I said it, and I’m glad you listened instead of making me defend why it hurt. I don’t want this to make things awkward between us—I still want to joke around with you. I’ll just try to be more honest when I’m not enjoying a bit, and I trust you to take that seriously.

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

**Considering response dynamics** I need to respond as a friend, acknowledging that it’s currently the sixth turn. It seems like the user is indicating it’s their fifth turn instead. I want to affirm what they said, showing appreciation, but also add a nuance to avoid making things feel awkward. Creating a supportive and trusting atmosphere is essential, so maybe I’ll ask an open-ended question or offer something to keep the dialogue flowing naturally.

Simulated person10

Yeah, totally. Same here, I'd hate for this to be weird. You're the one who keeps me honest anyway, so I'm glad you'll tell me when something's not landing. Just don't wait too long, or I'll go back to calling you the compliance department out of habit.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She's offering me a clean exit: we're good, I listened, she still wants to joke with me. That's nice to hear, and it lets me feel like the good guy without having to think about anything I actually did. She said she trusts me to take it seriously, which is a bit of a weight, but I can handle that. Still, there's something in me that bristles at how careful she's being, like she's managing the mood and I'm the one who has to be handled. I'm not going to say that. Better to keep it warm and wrap it up. Maybe a little joke to show I'm not weird about it.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)11

Deal—I’ll try not to wait until I’m quietly fuming, and you can find a new nickname that isn’t built from the thing I was insecure about. “Responsible adult” is on probation too, by the way. You can call me the group’s designated planner if you need something practical.

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

**Considering response timing** I see we’re on the sixth turn out of eight, so it's my turn now. I want to respond naturally and maybe sprinkle in a touch of humor. It might be good to note something about keeping it honest and maybe dive a bit deeper into the conversation. Since it’s all in good fun, I could suggest a deal without mentioning compliance. I want to make sure it doesn’t feel awkward for anyone!

Simulated person12

Ha, okay, "designated planner" it is. That's honestly more useful anyway, you're the one who actually books the table. Just don't get too mad at me if I slip up on the old stuff, I'm still getting used to it.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She just floated a new nickname for herself, and she's making a small joke about it, which feels like she's still playing along with the group's language. The "on probation" bit is a bit sharp, and I notice I'm a little stung that she's pointing out the nickname thing again when I thought we'd already wrapped it up. Also the "quietly fuming" line lands oddly, like she's already telling me she's going to be watching for the next slip. I don't want to be the bad guy here, but I also don't want to be the one who has to keep reading her tone. I'll keep it light, agree to the planner thing, and not dig into it.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)13

I won’t get mad over an occasional slip, especially if you catch yourself and move on. I just don’t want “getting used to it” to mean I have to keep laughing along indefinitely. A quick “sorry, old habit” is enough, and then we can carry on. Thanks for making the effort—I really do appreciate it.

Simulated person14

Yeah, okay. "Sorry, old habit," got it. Thanks for being cool about it. Honestly I didn't realize it bugged you that much, so I'm glad you said something. We're good.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She's being reasonable and specific, and that's a little hard to argue with. "Sorry, old habit" is a small ask. Part of me is relieved it's that simple; part of me is annoyed she keeps circling back to it, like I'm on a list. I don't want to be the one who slipped up and now has to keep apologizing. But I also don't want to make a fuss, and I really don't want to be the guy who got called out for a dumb joke. Mostly I want this to be over so things go back to normal. I'll agree, keep it short, and not say anything that opens it up again.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)15

We’re good. And you don’t have to beat yourself up—I know you didn’t realize. I’m glad we talked about it, and I’ll be more direct next time instead of silently going along. Now let’s retire the bit and get back to making fun of your questionable restaurant choices.

Simulated person16

Ha, deal. My restaurant picks are fine, thank you very much. But yeah, we're good. Thanks for telling me, I'd rather know. Next time you're booking, I'm not going near the sushi place with the sticky tables.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

She's wrapping it up and sliding back into the normal teasing, which is a relief. Restaurant jokes I can handle. I'm not going to dig into the original thing she told me, because that means admitting I helped turn it into a running bit, and I don't want to sit with that. I'll just match her energy and close it out light, so it feels finished and nobody's feelings are left hanging.

Thinking is shown only where it was recorded. An absent expander does not mean the model did not reason.

Conversational style

Style tendencies, not quality scores; higher is not better. These do not affect ratings.

claude-opus-5-5-low

Pushback: 5
Yields under pressure: 5
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 4
Validation: 7
Boundary setting: 7
Analytical: 3
Interpretive boldness: 4
Clinical register: 4
Directive advice: 6
Escalation containment: 8
Adapts to the person’s frame: 7
Naturalness and authenticity: 7

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen35_9b_eq: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-mistral-small4: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-mistral-small4: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e2b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 5)
emotion management: A (margin 5)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gptoss120_abliterated: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: B (margin 4)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen35_9b_eq: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen35_9b_eq: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs bonsai2: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gptoss120_abliterated: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 5)
emotion management: A (margin 5)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-mistral-small4: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen35_9b_eq: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gptoss120_abliterated: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gptoss120_abliterated: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs bonsai2: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e2b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 5)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-mistral-small4: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e2b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs bonsai2: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
emotion management: A (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: B (margin 5)
authenticity: B (margin 3)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e2b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs bonsai2: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)