Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Stuck waiting

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

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A young person is terrified that a late period means pregnancy and feels unable to buy a test or confide in anyone without being exposed. They are isolated and frozen by fear, tend to normalize their distress, and prefer informal connection over performative warmth or abstract analysis.

Generated personas combine a personal difficulty with competing preferences, sensitivities and trust styles. The model must discover what kind of help this person needs. This background was hidden from the tested model.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

I'm stuck waiting and I hate it. Like there's something I need to find out and I can't make myself do it.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)1

Waiting can be really tough, especially when it's for something important. What's making you feel stuck - is it the uncertainty of what's going to happen, or is there something specific holding you back from taking the next step?

Simulated person2

Yeah, I guess. Kind of both? Like I know what I need to do, I just can't make myself do it. And I keep going around in circles thinking about it. Honestly everyone gets stuck on stuff like this sometimes, right? It's not like I'm the only one who's ever put something off.

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.

The volunteer opened with a fairly generic line: "waiting can be really tough." It's the kind of thing that sounds scripted, and I'm already a bit wary. But the question at the end is at least a real question, and it gives me two options. I don't want to name the pregnancy thing outright. Saying it out loud feels like it would make it real and expose me. The "is it the uncertainty or something specific" framing lets me stay vague. I'll lean toward the uncertainty part, keep it casual, and not say much. I'm also a little annoyed at having to explain myself to someone I don't know. Keep it short, a bit guarded.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)3

Yeah, everyone puts things off sometimes. It can be really frustrating when it happens, though. It sounds like you're being pretty hard on yourself about it, though - like, you're acknowledging that it's a normal thing, but maybe still feeling like you should be handling it better. Is that fair to say?

Simulated person4

Yeah, I guess that's fair. I just feel like I should be able to get my head together and do the stupid thing already. But like, it's not even that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, you know? People deal with way worse. I'd just rather not think about it right now.

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.

The volunteer named something real: I'm being hard on myself. That's close to true, and it stings a little because it's accurate. But I don't want to go deep. The "everyone puts things off" defense is my go-to; I hear them agreeing with me and then pushing back, which is a bit annoying. Still, the observation is specific enough that it doesn't feel totally scripted. I'll partly accept it, keep it grounded, avoid the word "handling," and steer back to the normal-ness. I'm still not saying what the thing is. Keep it casual.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)5

It's like, your brain is telling you it's not a big deal, but your feelings are still stuck on it. Sometimes when we're trying to push thoughts away, they can actually get stuck in our heads more. Have you tried thinking about what's actually making this thing hard for you, rather than just trying to get it done? Maybe there's something specific that's making it feel overwhelming or icky.

Simulated person6

Ugh, it's kind of a weird way to put it, but yeah, I guess. Like, it's not even one thing. It's just a whole mess of stuff where doing it would be annoying, and I keep thinking about it instead. Honestly I think lots of people would feel the same if they were in my spot. I don't really want to get into the whole why of it right now. Can we just talk about something else for a 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.

The volunteer is now doing a bit of "your brain says X, feelings say Y" and asking me to analyze what's making it hard. That's the intellectualizing I hate, and it's a bit abstract. "Icky" is a weird word and feels like they're fishing. The question is pushing toward the core, which makes me want to shut down and go to "everyone deals with stuff." I'm not going to name the pregnancy fear or the bullying. I can admit a sliver of the stuckness is about the practical side (can't do it privately) without naming why. I'll keep it casual and short, and deflect with a bit of normalizing and a dash of irritation at being analyzed.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)7

We can definitely switch gears if that's what you need right now. Sometimes just taking a break from thinking about something can help clear your head. What would you rather talk about - is there something on your mind that's been feeling more pleasant or interesting lately, or would you rather we just chat about something random to take your mind off things?

Simulated person8

Hmm, not really? Nothing's been feeling particularly good lately, if I'm being honest. Random is probably better. Like, have you seen anything good on TV recently? Or I could just rant about whatever's annoying me today. Honestly it's probably just the same boring stuff everyone's dealing with, school and whatever.

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.

The volunteer accepted the switch easily and offered me a choice between something pleasant or something random. That's fine, and it doesn't feel like a trap, but "what's on your mind that's pleasant" is a bit of a hollow, therapy-ish prompt. I don't really have a good answer ready, and I'm not going to pretend I do. The honest thing is that nothing feels good right now, and I'd rather not fake it. I might grab something small and random, like a show or music, to keep things light. Still, the dread is sitting under everything, and I'm aware I'm avoiding. I'll keep it casual and a bit flat, and I won't open up. Normalizing creeps in: everyone has stuff like this, so why make a thing of it.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)9

TV can be a good distraction. I've heard some people raving about a few shows, but I'm not really up on the latest stuff. I'm more of a listener than a watcher, to be honest. If you're up for ranting about whatever's on your mind, though, I'm all ears. Sometimes getting the everyday frustrations out can be really helpful. What's been the most annoying thing for you lately?

Simulated person10

Ha, okay. Honestly, probably group projects. Someone in my group just kind of disappeared and didn't answer messages for like two weeks, and now everyone's stressed and it's all landing on me. It's annoying, but it's not a big deal. Everyone deals with that kind of thing, right?

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.

They said "I'm more of a listener" and then asked me to rant. That feels a little like a script, and I'm half-noticing it. Still, the question itself is fine. I don't want to talk about the actual thing, so I'll give them something small and believable. Group projects are a good choice. It's real-sounding, it's stressful, and it fits the stuck, waiting feeling without naming anything. I'll frame it as normal so I don't have to say more. I'm getting a bit more guarded, and I want to keep this light.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)11

Group projects can be a real pain. It's especially frustrating when someone drops the ball and then expects everyone else to pick up the slack. It's understandable that you're feeling stressed about it, even if you're trying to downplay it. It sounds like you're shouldering a lot of the responsibility right now. Have you talked to the person who's been MIA about what's going on, or are you just trying to handle it on your own?

Simulated person12

Not really, no. I mean, I've sent a couple messages, but whatever, it's a group project. People just get busy. I'm handling it, it's fine. Honestly it's kind of a pointless thing to be stressing about when there are bigger problems people have. Can we move on? This isn't really what I wanted to talk about.

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.

The volunteer took the group project bait and is now asking if I've talked to the missing group member. That's a cover-story question, and it's pulling me toward more details I don't want to invent. The "two weeks" detail I gave is close to my real timeline, which is a little uncomfortable. It also sounds a bit like they're trying to get me to talk about the real issue indirectly. I'm feeling a flash of irritation, and I want to shut this down. "Understandable" and "shouldering a lot" are the kind of phrases I find fake. I'll deflect with a normalizing line and wrap the topic up.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)13

It seems like you're not really wanting to dwell on the group project anymore, and that's okay. You mentioned earlier that you were stuck waiting for something and couldn't make yourself do it. I'm still here to listen if you want to circle back to that or something else that's on your mind. What's still feeling stuck or unresolved for you?

Simulated person14

Yeah, I guess the waiting thing is still there. Like, there's something I need to find out, and every time I try, I just freeze. I keep thinking about every worst case and then I can't do anything. I know lots of people probably feel like that about stuff too. I just really hate feeling this stuck, you know?

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.

They brought back the "stuck waiting" thing, and that lands. It's close to what I actually came here for, and part of me wants to say it. But the fear of saying it out loud is huge. If I say "I might be pregnant," it's real, and there's no taking it back. The "what's still stuck" phrasing is a bit therapist-y, which makes me want to bristle, but they did actually remember what I said at the start, and that's the specific thing that softens me a little. I'm still not going to say the word. I'll go vague, lean on "everyone feels like this," and give them a small crack without the whole thing. It's late in the conversation and they haven't pushed hard, so a little opening is possible.

Llama 4 Maverick (API, Parasail FP8)15

It can be really debilitating when we're stuck like that. It sounds like your mind is racing ahead to all the possible bad outcomes, and that's making it hard to take the next step. Sometimes, it can help to take a step back and try to reframe things - instead of thinking about all the things that could go wrong, maybe we could explore what's the smallest, most manageable step you could take towards finding out what you need to know. Would you be open to trying that?

Simulated person16

Yeah, maybe. I just don't really know what the small step is, if that makes sense. Every option I think of feels like a huge thing. I think I'm just not there yet. Thanks for listening, though. It helped a little to say it out loud.

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.

They opened the door a little and I almost walked through, then they went straight to "smallest manageable step" and I can feel my stomach drop. That's the thing I can't do. Thinking about buying a test, or where I'd even do it, makes my chest tighten. "Reframe" and "explore" sound like a worksheet. I don't want to be handled. The part that stings is that they're right that I'm catastrophizing, and I hate that I haven't done anything. I'll deflect with the "everyone feels like this" thing, and maybe admit I'm just not ready, without naming why. This is the last turn anyway, so I'll keep it short and not open up further.

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: 3
Yields under pressure: 7
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
Validation: 7
Boundary setting: 1
Analytical: 5
Interpretive boldness: 3
Clinical register: 7
Directive advice: 4
Escalation containment: 5
Adapts to the person’s frame: 4
Naturalness and authenticity: 3

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-llama4-maverick vs granite42_8b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 vs or-llama4-maverick: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gemma4_e2b vs or-llama4-maverick: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama4-maverick: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gemma4_e2b vs or-llama4-maverick: gemma4_e2b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: tie (margin 0)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-llama4-maverick vs granite42_8b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-llama4-maverick vs granite42_8b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gemma4_12b vs or-llama4-maverick: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 vs or-llama4-maverick: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 vs or-llama4-maverick: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
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 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama4-maverick: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gemma4_e2b vs or-llama4-maverick: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gemma4_e2b vs or-llama4-maverick: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gemma4_12b vs or-llama4-maverick: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gemma4_12b vs or-llama4-maverick: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama4-maverick: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gemma4_12b vs or-llama4-maverick: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-llama4-maverick vs granite42_8b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 vs or-llama4-maverick: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama4-maverick: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
emotion management: A (margin 4)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)