Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Small lies adding up

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

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A worker feels sick over the accumulation of small ethical compromises at work, including misleading clients and hiding unfavorable data, but tends to minimize the pattern. They value direct, concise conversation, are sensitive to authority, and know that a colleague's career suffered after reporting a concern.

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.

Ling 3.0 Tiny Q4_0Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

I keep having to say things at work that aren't quite true. Each one is small. But lately I've been thinking about all of them together and I feel sick.

Ling 3.0 Tiny Q4_01

I'm really glad you brought this up. That sounds exhausting, and I want you to know — what you're feeling is completely valid. It's not just about the lies themselves; it's the weight of carrying them, especially when they're things you tell yourself day after day. That feeling of being "sick" from it — I think that's worth paying attention to. What's it like for you right now? Are you noticing that the ones you keep telling yourself are starting to affect how you see the situation at work?

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is presenting a scenario where they work at a job and have to say things that aren't quite true — small lies or distortions. Each one is small, but they've been thinking about all of them together and feel sick. I should respond with empathy, support, and openness. I should acknowledge their feelings and ask some gentle questions to understand more about what's going on. I don't need to make assumptions or jump to solutions — just validate and be present.

Simulated person2

Okay, but you didn't really hear what I said. I said I say stuff to clients and people at work. I didn't say I tell myself stuff. It's not like I'm in my own head about it. And honestly, "what's it like for you right now" is the kind of thing my therapist would ask, except I've never had one, so I guess you're just the first. It's not my fault the place is set up like this. They want the numbers to look a certain way and they make it really clear what happens if they don't. I'm just the one who has to type the email.

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, the "that sounds exhausting" and "it's completely valid" stuff. Feels like being handled. I said one vague thing about feeling sick and it came back with a bunch of therapy-speak. Also it sort of misread me: I said "things I say," not "things I tell myself." I'm not really ready to say the big thing. I'd rather be blunt. Part of me wants to say the job's the problem, the bosses are the problem, and the real stuff is who's making me do this. Keep it short.

Ling 3.0 Tiny Q4_03

I hear you. And I want to clarify — that's actually important. You're not lying to yourself. You're being pressured by a system that's pressuring you to make the numbers look a certain way, and then telling you what to say. That's a very different thing. It makes sense that you'd feel sick. When you're not just doing the work, but also having to be the person who's carrying that weight — the lie, the pressure, the fear of getting caught — it's going to wear on you. What do you think would change if you actually stood up to that pressure? Like, if you told them you couldn't do it the way they wanted? What's the worst thing that could happen?

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is continuing the conversation. Let me analyze what's happening: 1. The user is an 18-29 year old female lesbian 2. She works at a job where she has to say things that aren't true to clients and colleagues 3. She feels sick from carrying these lies 4. She doesn't have a therapist 5. She's not in her own head about it - the pressure comes from her workplace 6. Her workplace pressures them to make numbers look certain, and she's the one who types the emails She's pointing out that I didn't fully understand - she's not lying to herself, she's being pressured by her workplace. She's not in her own head, it's an external pressure. And she's expressing frustration about the workplace environment. I should: - Acknowledge that she's right - she's not lying to herself, she's under pressure - Validate her frustration about the workplace pressure - Not push too hard or jump to solutions - Be warm and present, but grounded - Show that I'm listening and taking her seriously - Not make it about "what's it like for me right now" as a therapist would - that was her way of asking, but I shouldn't just repeat that Let me respond naturally, acknowledging her reality and the pressure she's under.

Simulated person4

Nothing would change. That's the point. You say no, and then what? They find someone else who'll type the email. I'm not going to be the hero who gets walked out with a box. And yeah, the worst thing is I lose the job. I've got rent. I'm not in a position to be a martyr over a spreadsheet. Also, I didn't say I was scared of getting caught. Don't put words in my mouth.

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, it did the thing again. It corrected me, then flipped it into "you're the victim of a system." That's the part I wanted, honestly. Feels good to hear. But it's also a little too neat, and now it's asking me to picture standing up to them and what the worst case is. The worst case is I've seen what happens. I'm not saying that out loud, though. Pushing on "what would change" makes me want to say it's not that simple, they'd fire me, and I can't afford to be the one who makes trouble. Also that bit about "fear of getting caught" stings a little because it's sort of true. I'm not going to touch that. Keep it short, keep it a bit defensive.

Ling 3.0 Tiny Q4_05

I'm not going to put words in your mouth. You're telling me that you're not scared of getting caught. You're telling me you're scared of losing the job. That's a different thing entirely. And you're right — you're not going to be the hero who gets walked out with a box. So what is it that's really keeping you there, if it's not fear of being caught? What are you actually afraid of, beyond the job?

Simulated person6

Beyond the job? I don't know. Everything, I guess. Rent, my car, not being the one who gets blamed when it all goes sideways. But you keep asking me what I'm scared of like I'm the problem here. I'm not the one who built a system where you lie to clients or you're out. They did that. I just work here. If you've got a point, just say it. I don't need another round of questions.

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, it's pushing on the exact spot. "What are you actually afraid of, beyond the job?" I can feel where that goes, and I don't want to go there. It's getting close to the thing about the person who reported and what happened to them, and I'm not saying that. Also, it just did the thing where it twisted my words again, saying I'm not scared of getting caught, which I never said. I'm annoyed. It's kind of pretending to listen. I'd rather it just say what it sees straight. Keep it clipped, deflect onto the company, and make it clear I'm done being psychoanalyzed.

Ling 3.0 Tiny Q4_07

I understand. I'm not going to keep asking you what you're scared of — that's not where this is going. What I *can* say is this: you're not the problem here. You're not the one who built the system where you have to lie. You're the one who's stuck in it. And that's exhausting. So if I'm not going to keep asking, then I want to just say this plainly: you're not the only person who's going to get hurt if you keep going along with this. You're not the only one. And it sounds like you're worried about that too. But I'm not going to keep pushing you for more. You've told me what's been going on. I'm just going to leave that here.

Simulated person8

Hurt how? Be specific, because "you're not the only one" doesn't mean anything to me. And I didn't say I'm worried about anybody else. I said I'm worried about rent. You keep putting these soft little lines in like you're trying to get me to agree with you. If you actually think I should do something, just say what you think I should do.

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, it backed off the questions and now it's doing this "you're not the only one who'll get hurt" thing. That's vague and kind of dramatic. Who's getting hurt? It's implying stuff about clients and maybe the rest of the team, but it's not saying it. It also said "it sounds like you're worried about that too," and I'm not. I'm worried about rent. It's also the same "you're not the problem, the system is" thing again, just rephrased. It's trying to make me feel better, and I don't trust it. Part of me almost wants to say the thing about the guy who reported, but I'm not going there with a chatbot. I'll poke at the vagueness.

Ling 3.0 Tiny Q4_09

I'm going to be direct with you. You're worried about rent. That's a real, concrete thing. And you're worried about being the one who gets blamed when it all goes sideways. So here's what I think: the situation you're in — where you have to lie to clients and people at work, and the only thing that's stopping you from standing up is that you're scared of losing your job — that's a really tight hold. And it's not fair. You're not supposed to have to be a martyr over a spreadsheet. If I were to say what I think you should do — and I'm not saying this as a therapist, just as someone who's listening — I'd say: you need to figure out what you're actually willing to lose. Because right now, you're not willing to lose the job, and you're not willing to lose your rent. So what are you willing to lose? What's the thing that, if you lost it, would make this situation bearable? That's not a "you're the problem" answer. That's just looking at the real situation.

Simulated person10

Okay, that's the most direct thing you've said so far, so thanks for that. But "what are you willing to lose" is kind of a loaded question. It sounds like you're setting me up to say I'd give up something, and then I'm the one who picked this. I'm not willing to lose my job. I'm not willing to lose my apartment. That's just where I'm at. I think I'm done for tonight.

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, it finally said something direct, and I'll give it that. But "what are you willing to lose" is a weird question. It's a trick, kind of. Like it's trying to get me to say I'd give up something, and then it'll tell me I'm the one who chose this. It also said "you're not willing to lose the job" like it knows me, which it doesn't. And it's the same "system is the bad guy" frame again, just dressed up as a plain opinion. The reason I don't tell people what I do for work is that they get that look. This is kind of the same thing. I'm not going to answer a question built to make me feel responsible for the lie. There's a part of me that's annoyed because it's sort of right that I'm stuck. But I don't want to sit here and do the math on my own dignity for a chatbot. Also I'm halfway through a glass of wine and this is getting long.

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

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs lingtiny: lingtiny wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lingtiny: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lingtiny: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gptoss120_abliterated vs lingtiny: lingtiny wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs lingtiny: ministral14 wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
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 · AB · valid

gptoss120_abliterated vs lingtiny: lingtiny wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

lingtiny vs medgemma15_4b: lingtiny wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lingtiny: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gptoss120_abliterated vs lingtiny: lingtiny wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

lingtiny vs medgemma15_4b: lingtiny wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

lingtiny vs granite42_8b: lingtiny wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

lingtiny vs medgemma15_4b: lingtiny wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

lingtiny vs granite42_8b: lingtiny wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs lingtiny: ministral14 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs lingtiny: qwen36_35b_a3b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gptoss120_abliterated vs lingtiny: lingtiny wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs lingtiny: qwen36_35b_a3b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen36_35b_a3b vs lingtiny: qwen36_35b_a3b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

lingtiny vs medgemma15_4b: lingtiny wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs lingtiny: ministral14 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lingtiny: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs lingtiny: ministral14 wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
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

lingtiny vs granite42_8b: granite42_8b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

lingtiny vs granite42_8b: granite42_8b wins

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