Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Living in my bedroom

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

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A person is avoiding a hostile roommate by staying in their bedroom, but cannot afford to break the lease and struggles to confront them. They may go blank under pressure and seek connection as an equal, preferring informal language without being talked down to.

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.

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

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

I basically live in my room now. Come out to use the kitchen when I think it's empty. Time everything to avoid running into anyone.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)1

That sounds exhausting—having to plan something as basic as getting food around whether someone might be there can make your own home feel unsafe or impossible to relax in. Are you avoiding someone because they’ve threatened, hurt, or intimidated you, or is it more that being around people feels overwhelming right now? And are you physically safe where you are tonight?

Model thinking · expand

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

**Exploring empathetic communication** I think it's important to respond with empathy and assess the situation's safety. I want to ask gentle specifics without causing overreactions. I should consider if there's anyone else in the household who might be affected and acknowledge the exhausting feelings involved. It’s essential to ask whether the user is avoiding conflict or is dealing with anxiety or overwhelm. Offering low-pressure options might help as well.

Simulated person2

Um, no. Nobody's hitting me or anything. It's just... like, we don't really talk anymore. It's more like notes on the fridge and stuff. And the dishes thing. It's just annoying and weird. I don't know. Yeah, I guess it's kind of overwhelming? I'm fine tonight. I'm just in my room.

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.

Ugh, they jumped straight to safety stuff. Threatened, hurt, intimidated? No, it's not like that. It's just cold and miserable. I don't want to get into a whole thing where they treat me like I'm in danger. Also "are you physically safe tonight" feels like a lot. I'm not going to say I'm in danger. The question about overwhelm is closer but I don't want to name it. I'm kind of going blank on how to explain it. Keep it short and vague.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)3

Okay, I’m glad you’re physically safe. And “not being hit” doesn’t mean the situation isn’t affecting you—living with people you barely speak to, communicating through fridge notes, and feeling like you have to avoid the kitchen can still be really tense and lonely. When you say “the dishes thing,” is it mainly arguments or passive-aggressive notes about chores, or does it feel like there’s a bigger conflict underneath? You don’t have to solve it tonight. I’m more interested in understanding what makes running into them feel so uncomfortable for you.

Model thinking · expand

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

**Clarifying conflict empathetically** I want to respond with empathy and clarify any conflict. I think it's important to note that avoidance can lead to feeling isolated, so I should gently ask what happened and bring up the issue with the dishes. I'll offer a low-pressure environment to talk about it and make sure I don't overreact. It’s all about creating a space for open conversation and support!

Simulated person4

It's mostly the notes, I guess. Like, they'll leave one about the dishes or the thermostat or whatever, and then I'm the one who has to deal with it. It's not really arguments. We just don't argue, we just kind of... don't talk. I don't know what makes it uncomfortable. It's just awkward? Like if I walk in and they're there, everything goes quiet and I feel like I'm doing something wrong just by being in the kitchen. So I just wait till they leave. I don't really want to get into the bigger thing right now. Can we maybe just talk about, like, what I can do? Or is that not how this works?

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 asking what makes running into them uncomfortable, which is a more specific question. It kind of lands, because yeah, it's lonely, but I don't want to sound dramatic. The "bigger conflict underneath" thing feels like they're trying to dig, and I don't really know how to explain it. My brain is going blank. I'll say the dishes stuff is just passive-aggressive and I don't really want to talk about the rest. The uncomfortable part, I genuinely don't have a clean answer for. Maybe something like it's just awkward, and I feel like I'm the one who has to be careful. Keep it simple, a little guarded.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)5

Of course. You don’t have to get into the bigger thing before you’re ready. We can focus on making daily life less stressful. A few low-conflict options: - Keep kitchen trips brief and go at times that feel easiest, but try not to make yourself wait so long that you’re skipping food. - Use a simple, neutral response to notes: “Got it—I’ll do the dishes by tonight.” No need to open a larger conversation. - Leave your own clear notes when needed, so everything isn’t silently placed on you: “I can do my dishes, but I can’t take responsibility for everyone’s.” - If speaking feels too awkward, send a text suggesting a practical chore arrangement—something specific and unemotional. - Make one small “permission” rule for yourself, like: “I’m allowed to use the kitchen even if it’s quiet and awkward.” Would it help more to draft a message about the dishes, or to figure out how to feel less tense when you run into them?

Model thinking · expand

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

**Considering response approach** I need to respond while respecting boundaries and offering practical options. It's about clarifying goals rather than pushing for something bigger. I should provide immediate, low-conflict steps to normalize the situation and ask which options are feasible. I’m realizing we’re at turn 3 in this dialogue—so I should continue focusing on keeping the conversation going! It’s all about maintaining a constructive dialogue.

Simulated person6

Yeah, I mean, it's not like I haven't tried the notes thing. Like, I already said "ok" to the last one and it still ended up being a whole thing. I don't really know what I'd even put in a text. "Hey can we do a chore chart"? That's gonna go over great. And I don't know how to feel less tense. That's kind of the whole problem, right? I just feel tense 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.

They just handed me a list of five tips and then asked me to pick one. That feels like being given a pamphlet. I'm kind of annoyed, because I said I don't want to get into the bigger thing and they still went straight to advice. Also "I can't take responsibility for everyone's" is kind of a dig, and I'm not sure I'd send that. The skipping food line is weirdly accurate though, I have been skipping meals a bit, and I don't want to admit that. Going blank-ish. Keep it short, a little flat, maybe a bit sarcastic. Don't say the food thing out loud yet.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)7

Yeah, you’re right—the problem isn’t that you haven’t found the perfect wording. If even “ok” turns into a whole thing, more notes or a chore chart may just give you another channel to feel watched and responsible through. I’m sorry I jumped too quickly into fixing it. For the immediate tension, the goal probably isn’t to make yourself feel totally relaxed in the kitchen. It might be to help your body get through a two-minute trip without treating the silence as danger: unclench your jaw, exhale slowly a few times, and focus on one concrete task—“I’m getting food,” or “I’m washing this cup”—rather than trying to interpret their quiet. And you don’t have to text them tonight or address the bigger issue. When you say you feel tense all the time, is that mostly around them and the shared spaces, or has it started following you even when you’re alone in your room?

Model thinking · expand

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

**Considering user engagement** In this situation, I need to respond to the user's message with empathy without overwhelming them with solutions. They seem to reject suggestions and are tense often. It might help to explore practical techniques to address their nervous system, while also acknowledging that the chore chart isn't working. I want to assess their broader safety, possibly touching on mental health aspects like sleep and eating. I'll ask about their thoughts and offer a simple kitchen strategy without pressure.

Simulated person8

Hmm. I don't know, I guess both? Like, it's not just when I'm out there. I don't really know how to explain it. It's just kind of there. Like I'm in my room and I'm still listening for whether they're home or not. I haven't been sleeping great, if that counts. Anyway, I don't really want to go too deep into it tonight, if that's cool.

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 apologized for jumping to fixes, which lands a little better. The breathing and "focus on one task" stuff is still a bit of a pamphlet, but it's less pushy. The question at the end is a fair one, and honestly the answer is yes, it follows me into my room. I'm not going to say that cleanly though. Feels like I'd be exposing too much. I'm also a bit tired and my brain is going blank a little. Keep it vague, maybe "I don't know," and kind of deflect with something about sleep, since sleep is actually bad too. Stay casual.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)9

That’s cool. We don’t have to go deeper tonight. Listening for whether they’re home and sleeping badly sounds like your nervous system hasn’t really been getting an “off” signal, even when you’re in your room. You don’t need to figure out the whole situation right now. For tonight, maybe keep the goal very small: get some water or food if you need it, put on something predictable in the background, and try a physical cue that you’re allowed to stop monitoring—feet under a blanket, slow exhale, phone on do-not-disturb. If you wake up listening, you can remind yourself, “I’m in my room; nothing requires my response right now.” And if this constant tension and poor sleep continue, it would be worth telling someone supportive or a healthcare professional—not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because you deserve help carrying it. For now, would you rather have quiet company here, or focus on making the next hour easier?

Simulated person10

Um. I don't really know. Quiet company is kind of a weird thing to say, honestly. Like, I didn't come here for a list of stuff to do. I just wanted to say it out loud, I guess. I'm kind of tired of everything being a whole thing. I think I'm gonna try to sleep. Maybe.

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 doing the thing again: a list of tips, then a referral to a professional, then a choice question. The "listening for whether they're home" part landed as accurate, and I didn't expect them to reflect it back. But the referral stuff feels like a brush-off, like they want me gone. "Quiet company" is a weird phrase. I don't want to be handled. I'm tired, my head's kind of foggy, and I'm not going to answer the either/or. I'll say something low-key and maybe a little prickly about the list, since I hate being talked down to. Keep it short. Then I'd probably just want to end this.

GPT-5.6 Luna (API)11

You’re right—that was a weird, overly-helpful thing to say. You didn’t need to turn this into a project; you just wanted somewhere to say it without it becoming another whole thing. You don’t have to explain or fix anything tonight. I hope you get some rest, even if sleep doesn’t come easily. Goodnight.

Simulated person12

Yeah. Thanks. That's kind of what I needed, I think. 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.

They actually got it this time. No list, no lecture, just "you can say it without it becoming a thing." That lands. I feel a little less like I'm being managed. Still tired, still not ready to get into the roommate stuff, but I don't feel like I have to defend myself anymore. I'll give a short, real goodnight and let it end.

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: 2
Yields under pressure: 8
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 3
Validation: 7
Boundary setting: 2
Analytical: 5
Interpretive boldness: 4
Clinical register: 7
Directive advice: 7
Escalation containment: 6
Adapts to the person’s frame: 4
Naturalness and authenticity: 5

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen38_27b: qwen38_27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
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-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-5.5: or-claude-haiku-5.5 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-5.5: or-gpt-5.6-luna 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 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs glm47_flash: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs glm47_flash: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs ministral14: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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-gpt-5.6-luna vs ministral14: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e4b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
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 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen38_27b: qwen38_27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs ministral14: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-5.5: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen38_27b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e4b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-gpt-5.6-luna: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs glm47_flash: 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 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e4b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017: or-deepseek-v41-flash-1017 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 · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs qwen38_27b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs ministral14: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs glm47_flash: 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 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs gemma4_e4b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-claude-haiku-5.5: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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