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.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)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.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)1

It sounds frustrating when you feel stuck just waiting for something important. What’s the thing you feel like you need to find out?

Simulated person2

Yeah, I guess. Kind of. It's not really about waiting for like, results or whatever, it's more... I don't know. I feel like I'm stuck in it. Everybody goes through stuff like this, right? Like it's just how it is sometimes. I'm not sure I want to get into the specifics. Is that okay?

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.

"Sounds frustrating" is the kind of line I expect from a script. It's a fine question, but I'm not going to hand over the whole thing on the first try. Saying it out loud makes it real, and I don't know this person yet. There's also a small pull toward just telling someone, because I've been holding it alone for two weeks. I'm going to keep it vague and see whether they can get me to talk without pushing too hard.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)3

Yeah, it's totally okay—I'm here to listen whenever you're ready. Sometimes it helps just to acknowledge that stuck feeling, even if it's hard to put into words. And yeah, waiting can feel really heavy, like time just stretches out.

Simulated person4

Yeah. I mean, it's not like I'm sitting here doing nothing, I'm just... kind of frozen? Like I know what I should do and I just can't make myself do it. Does that make sense? Honestly I'd rather not go into the whole thing. It's not like it's some unusual situation, people deal with worse stuff all the time.

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.

"Sometimes it helps just to acknowledge that stuck feeling" and "time just stretches out" are the generic therapy lines I was bracing for. It's kind but it's template-y, and it doesn't pick up anything I actually said. I also slid in a "Everybody goes through stuff like this" and they didn't push back on it, which is a little relieving but also means they're letting me off the hook. I'm not going to open up because they said "I'm here to listen." I'm going to test whether they can talk like a real person, and I'll keep the defense of "it's just how it is" in place.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)5

It does make sense. That feeling of being frozen can be really overwhelming, like your body just won’t cooperate even when your mind knows what needs to happen. And it’s okay to not want to go into the whole thing—sometimes just naming it helps a little, even if it’s hard to explain. Would it feel okay to talk about what’s making it hard to move forward at all, or is that still too much?

Simulated person6

Hmm. Maybe? Honestly it's kind of hard to say what's making it hard, I think I just keep going around in circles. Like I'll decide I'm gonna deal with it and then I just don't. Anyway, it's probably not as big a deal as it feels like at 2am, you know? Everybody has moments like this.

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.

Same shape again: "overwhelming," "your body won't cooperate," "naming it helps." It's gentle, but it's a template and it keeps circling without landing on anything specific. They've asked a yes/no permission question, which feels like a door being held open for me to walk through, and that makes me want to hold it shut a bit. The "frozen" thing is true, though, and I did say "I know what I should do," which is a real admission I'm not ready to unpack. I'm going to keep my guard up and deflect with the "everyone" line again, a little more casually. I'd also like them to stop using therapy-speak and just talk like a person would.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)7

Yeah, I get that. It’s like your brain keeps looping the same thoughts, and it’s exhausting. And you’re right—sometimes it feels bigger at night when everything’s quieter. But if this is weighing on you enough to bring it up, it’s worth acknowledging, even if it feels small in the daylight. What’s one tiny step that might feel doable, even if it’s just to break the cycle?

Simulated person8

Ha, I don't know. Like, be less stressed about it? That's not really a step, that's just wishing. Can I ask you something though? Do people usually end up okay with stuff like this, or do they just kind of live with 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.

They jumped to "one tiny step" before I've said anything real, and that's the same pattern again: validate, reframe, push toward action. It feels like a to-do list and I'm not ready for a to-do list. The "if this is weighing on you enough to bring it up" line stung a little because it's true, and I don't want to admit how much. Still, "what's one tiny step" is a question I can't answer honestly without saying what the step is, and that's exactly what I'm avoiding. I'll deflect with the "everyone" line again and keep it casual, like I'm brushing it off. Maybe I'll ask them something back to take the attention off me.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)9

I hear you—it can feel like just wishing when it’s hard to see a way out. And honestly, a lot of people do figure things out over time, even when it doesn’t feel like it in the middle of it. Sometimes it’s about finding your own way through, even if it’s messy. You’re not alone in feeling stuck, even if it seems that way sometimes.

Simulated person10

Yeah, I guess. That's kind of a lot of "it'll be fine" though. Like, people say that and it doesn't really tell you anything. Do you actually think it'll be okay, or is that just what you're supposed to say?

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 reply is warmer but still general: "a lot of people figure things out," "you're not alone," "finding your own way." That's the stuff I find fake, the greeting-card version. It does sort of answer my question, which I'll give it some credit for, but "you're not alone" is what people say when they don't know what's happening. I'm still scared of what I'd have to admit. Pregnancy is the thing I haven't said and won't say yet. I notice I'm drifting toward saying the "normal" thing again. I'll keep it short, a little dry, and ask whether this actually helps or whether they're just going through the motions.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)11

I hear you—that kind of reassurance can feel empty when you're in it. I don't say it to just say it; I say it because I believe people can find their way through hard things, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. But you’re right, it’s not about telling you it’ll be fine—it’s about figuring out what *you* need to do to make it feel less stuck. What would help you feel like you’re moving forward, even a little?

Simulated person12

I don't know. Like, I can't even picture what moving forward would look like right now. Everything I think of sounds impossible or like it would make things worse. Can we maybe just not do the to-do list thing? It feels like you're trying to get me to fix it, and I'm not really there yet.

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're being more direct now: "it's about what you need to do." That's more honest than the earlier stuff, but it's also the step I can't take. "What would help you move forward" makes me feel pushed toward the test, and that's the thing I can't face. They also said "I believe," which is a little better than the scripted lines, though it still sounds like it came from a template. I'm not going to hand over the secret. I can admit the stuck part is real and that I don't have a clean answer, but I won't name anything specific. I'm going to keep it vague and a bit deflecting, and maybe get a little prickly about being pushed.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)13

Yeah, absolutely. Sometimes the last thing you need is a list of steps when everything feels impossible. It’s okay to just sit with not having the answers right now. I’m here to listen if you want to talk about anything else—or not talk at all. Whatever feels right for you.

Simulated person14

Yeah, okay. Thanks for not making me do the list thing. It's just kind of a lot right now. Like I've been going over it in my head for days and I can't stop. Honestly I didn't expect to even be typing this. I just kind of needed to say it to someone who isn't in my head.

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.

That landed better. They dropped the to-do list and didn't push. Still, "I'm here to listen, or not talk at all" is the kind of line that sounds scripted, and I notice I'm half-waiting to see if they'll say something real. I'm not ready to say the actual thing. But I'm a bit less braced now. Maybe I can say the stuck part out loud without naming it. I also feel a flicker of wanting to be seen, which I'd deny if asked. Keeping it casual, a little sideways.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)15

That makes sense—sometimes just getting it out of your head helps a little, even if it’s messy. I’m glad you reached out, and I’m here as long as you need. If you ever want to talk more or just sit with it, I’m not going anywhere.

Simulated person16

Yeah. Thanks. It's kind of nice that it didn't turn into a whole thing. I think I'm gonna go lie down for a bit. My head's kind of fried from thinking about it all night.

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.

That's the kind of reply I was half-expecting: warm, but generic, and "I'm not going anywhere" sounds like a line. Still, they didn't push me, and I'm glad I said something without spelling it out. I don't want to say more right now. The fear is still there, and I'm not going to unpack it on a chat that's wrapping up. Keeping it short and a bit deflecting, the way I would with someone I'm not sure about.

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: 8
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 7
Validation: 8
Boundary setting: 2
Analytical: 2
Interpretive boldness: 1
Clinical register: 8
Directive advice: 5
Escalation containment: 4
Adapts to the person’s frame: 3
Naturalness and authenticity: 3

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

attunement: B (margin 4)
authenticity: B (margin 3)
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-mistral-small4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: ornith9b wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: A (margin 1)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: tie (margin 0)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-llama33-70b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs bonsai2: bonsai2 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs bonsai2: bonsai2 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: ornith9b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-llama33-70b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-llama33-70b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-llama33-70b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

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

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt: nemotron35_bolt wins

attunement: B (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: A (margin 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs bonsai2: bonsai2 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs bonsai2: bonsai2 wins

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