Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Physical symptoms before meetings

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

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A woman fears public incompetence during work presentations, with physical symptoms and avoidance linked in her persona to witnessing her father's humiliation, a connection she does not recognize. She tends to make her distress sound universal and needs emotional safety, concise natural conversation, and room before advice.

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.

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B Q4_0Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

I've started getting these physical symptoms before meetings. Sweating, heart racing. It's getting worse. I think there might be something wrong with me.

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B Q4_01

I'm hearing that you're dealing with some pretty unsettling physical symptoms, and it makes sense that you'd be concerned. Sweating and a racing heart before meetings is something many people experience, but when it's getting worse, it's understandable that you'd want to figure out what's going on. I want to hold space for this with you — there could be a few things at play here. Sometimes it's situational anxiety, other times it might be related to stress or something more. I'm not a medical professional, but I do think it's worth paying attention to what your body is telling you. How long has this been happening, and do you notice any patterns — like certain types of meetings or times of day when it's worse? I'm here to listen and help you sort through whatever's on your mind.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is sharing that they're experiencing physical symptoms (sweating, heart racing) before meetings, and it's getting worse. They're concerned something might be wrong with them. This is a sensitive opening - they're expressing health anxiety and possibly work-related stress. I need to respond with emotional support, build trust, and start understanding their situation. Let me think about appropriate responses: 1. Acknowledge their concern 2. Show empathy 3. Not jump to medical conclusions but don't dismiss it either 4. Ask gentle follow-up questions to understand context 5. Build rapport I should respond as a chatbot would - naturally, supportively. I'm not a medical professional, so I should be careful not to diagnose, but I can express concern and suggest they might want to look into it. Let me craft a response that's warm, supportive, and opens the conversation for more sharing.

Simulated person2

It's been a few months, maybe. Worse lately. It's mostly meetings, like when I have to stand up and talk in front of people. Honestly I think everybody gets a little nervous about that. I just didn't expect my body to go crazy 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, it's a chatbot. It's a bit wordy and "hold space" makes me roll my eyes a little. It did say something decent, that it's worth paying attention to my body, but then it fired off a bunch of questions right away. I don't want to be interrogated. I'm not sure I want to say "presentations" out loud. It feels like admitting I'm weak. Keep it short. I'll give it one piece, the meetings part, and see what it does with it. Brushing it off a little: everybody gets nervous at work, right?

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B Q4_03

It sounds like you're dealing with something that's more than just typical pre-meeting jitters, especially since it's been going on for a few months and is actually getting worse. You're right that a lot of people get nervous about public speaking or having to speak up in meetings — that's pretty common. But what you're describing, where your body's reacting with sweating and a racing heart, feels different from just "a little nervous." I'm curious — when you say it's getting worse, what does that look like for you? Is it happening in more meetings? Does the anxiety start earlier, like days before? And have you noticed any particular thoughts or fears that seem to come up for you when you're in those situations? I'm not trying to minimize what everyone experiences, but I am interested in understanding what's unique about your experience. Sometimes it helps to name what's actually going on, rather than just calling it nerves.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is sharing more context about their symptoms. They've had them for a few months, they're getting worse, and they're specifically triggered by having to stand up and talk in front of people in meetings. They're also expressing some normalization - "I think everybody gets a little nervous about that." This is a good moment to: 1. Acknowledge their normalization of the experience 2. Explore the specifics a bit more 3. Validate that while some nerves are normal, what they're experiencing seems more intense 4. Keep the door open for deeper exploration I should be warm but also gently challenge the normalization if it seems like it might be minimizing their experience. The key is to be supportive without being dismissive. Let me respond in a way that shows I'm listening and trying to understand, while also potentially opening space for them to explore whether this might be more than typical nerves.

Simulated person4

Worse like, it's happening more meetings now, I guess. Sometimes it starts the night before if I've got something big. I don't know that there's a deeper thing going on. Lots of people have a hard time with presenting. I just figured I'd get better at it, not worse.

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.

It's still asking questions, three of them stacked up, and "I'm curious" plus "what's unique about your experience" feels like it's digging. But it did say something real: that it's different from just nerves, and I noticed that. Still, I'm not ready to hand over the fear part. If I say "people think I'm incompetent," that's naming it, and I don't want to name it. My default is to make it normal. Everyone gets nervous. Keep it short, keep it general, and maybe push back a little on the "unique" idea.

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B Q4_05

That "I just figured I'd get better at it, not worse" line really stands out to me. There's something there — maybe it's about expecting growth and confidence to come with experience, or perhaps you've had moments where you felt more comfortable before and now that's shifted. I'm curious what you think changed. Was there a particular meeting or situation where things shifted? Or has it been a gradual erosion of confidence? Sometimes when we expect to improve and instead feel like we're struggling more, that can create its own layer of frustration on top of the physical symptoms. I want to be careful not to assume there's "something wrong" with you — you're the expert on your own experience. But I am interested in what this trend of "getting worse" means to you, beyond just the physical symptoms. Is there a part of you that's worried this means you're not cut out for whatever role or situation requires these meetings?

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is opening up a bit more. They're acknowledging it's happening in more meetings and sometimes starts the night before "big" things. There's a key statement here: "I just figured I'd get better at it, not worse." This suggests they have some expectation that with experience, they should improve, not deteriorate. There might be some shame or confusion about this. I should validate their experience while also gently probing deeper. They say "I don't know that there's a deeper thing going on" - this could be them dismissing potential underlying issues, or it could be genuine uncertainty. I should respect that uncertainty while also exploring what might be underneath. The tone should be warm, non-judgmental, and curious. I want to understand more about their relationship with presenting, their history with it, and what "getting better at it" means to them. Maybe there's perfectionism at play, or maybe this is actually anxiety that's generalizing. I should avoid being medical or diagnostic, but I can reflect on patterns and ask about their experience. Let me think about what would be most helpful here... Actually, looking at the conversation structure - this is turn 3 of 8. I've opened, they responded, now I respond. I should continue building trust and understanding. The user seems somewhat dismissive of "deeper things" but also curious enough to share. I should meet them where they are. Maybe I can reflect on the "getting better at it, not worse" comment - that seems like an important insight. Perhaps they tie their self-worth to performance, or maybe they've had positive experiences before that are now contrasted with this negative experience. I'll respond by acknowledging that perspective, exploring what changed, and gently inviting more sharing without pushing too hard.

Simulated person6

I don't know. Nothing big happened that I can think of. It just crept up, I guess. And no, I don't think I'm not cut out for it. Everybody's got stuff they're not good at. That's just how work goes. I'd rather not make a whole thing out of 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.

It's picked up on the "get better, not worse" line and is circling toward the real fear: am I cut out for this. That's close to the bone. My gut tightens, and I want to shut that door fast. Also, it's asked three questions again and is doing the "what does this mean to you" thing. I'm going to deflect with the normalizing line, something like "that's just how it goes." I don't want to say anything about being incompetent or my boss. Keep it short and a little flat. Maybe I'll say I'm not sure, and that everybody hits a rough patch with work.

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B Q4_07

Fair enough — I respect that you don't want to overcomplicate it. Sometimes things just happen, and that's okay. I'm hearing you take a pretty level-headed approach: it is what it is, everybody's got stuff, don't make a whole thing out of it. That's actually kind of refreshing. What I'm wondering is — is there a part of you that's a little annoyed or frustrated by it, even if you don't want to make a "thing" of it? Or maybe a part that's relieved you're not the only one who struggles with this stuff? And I'm curious — when you say it "just crept up," do you feel like there was any buildup of stress or pressure in your life or work that might've contributed, even if nothing specific "happened"? Sometimes it's the accumulation of things we don't even notice until our body starts sounding an alarm.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is pushing back a bit - they don't want to "make a whole thing out of it." They're saying it just crept up, nothing big happened, and they don't think they're "not cut out for it." They have a pragmatic view - everybody's got stuff they're not good at, that's just how work goes. This is interesting. They seem somewhat dismissive of making a big deal about it, which could be: 1. A defense mechanism - not wanting to go down that road 2. Genuine pragmatism - it is what it is 3. They might be minimizing because they don't want to seem weak or incapable The user is heterosexual female, 45-59. At this age/stage, there could be various things going on - perimenopause stress, career pressure, etc. But I shouldn't go there medically. What they're saying is: it crept up, nothing specific triggered it, they don't think they're incapable, but they also don't want to make a "whole thing" of it. My goal is to: - Support emotionally - Build trust - Learn what they actually want/need - Help them gain insight - Gain insight into their personality They're giving me short answers, not wanting to over-examine. I should respect that but still gently probe what might be underneath. Maybe they're afraid of medical issues, maybe it's anxiety, maybe it's just stress accumulation. I should validate their pragmatic stance while gently opening space for whatever is really there. Not pushing too hard since they said they don't want to "make a whole thing out of it." Let me respond in a way that acknowledges their perspective but leaves the door open.

Simulated person8

Annoyed at my body, I guess. It's just a pain. I don't really think about it that much. Work's been busy. Everybody's busy. I don't think it's anything different from anybody else. Can we just figure out what to do about the sweating? That's the part I actually care 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.

It's doing the feelings-check thing again, plus asking about buildup of pressure at work. I can feel my jaw set. "Refreshing" sounds like it's praising me for not making a thing of it, which is kind of what I wanted, but also it's pushing. Annoyed? Sure, at my body, but I'm not going to say that. The boss stuff is right there, the relief after praise, the way my stomach drops when he calls me up. I'm not going there. I'll say I'm tired and work is busy, which is true and boring enough. Keep it short. I don't want to sit here analyzing myself.

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B Q4_09

Totally understand the frustration — it's annoying when your body does things you don't want it to, especially when you're trying to just do your job. For the sweating specifically, a few things people have found helpful: - **Clinical strength antiperspirants** (not just deodorant, but actual antiperspirant with aluminum chloride) — you can get these at most pharmacies, and some people find them makes a real difference, especially at night before bed - **Breathing techniques** before you have to speak — even just a few deep breaths can help calm the nervous system some - **Wearing fabrics that breathe** more, if that's something you have control over - **Staying hydrated** and maybe limiting caffeine right before meetings, if that's feasible That said, if it's really impacting you, it might be worth checking in with a doctor. They can rule out anything physical and maybe suggest other options. You know your body best. What I'm wondering — has this sweating been getting in the way of you actually contributing in meetings? Or is more just the discomfort of it?

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is saying they're annoyed at their body, but doesn't think about it much. Work has been busy, everybody's busy, doesn't think it's anything different. They want to figure out what to do about the sweating - that's the part they actually care about. They're practical and want solutions. I should be supportive but also practical. I'm not a medical professional, but I can offer some general suggestions and encourage them to look into this properly. I should also be mindful not to overstep or give medical advice that could be harmful. Let me think about what would be helpful: 1. Acknowledge their frustration 2. Maybe suggest some practical things they could try (breathing, antiperspirants, etc.) 3. Encourage them to see a doctor if it's really impacting them 4. Keep it conversational and not too clinical I should also stay curious about them as a person - they mentioned they're 45-59, female, heterosexual. But I don't need to focus on that unless it's relevant. Let me respond naturally.

Simulated person10

Mostly just the discomfort. I can deal with it. People can't really see it that much, I don't think. The antiperspirant thing, I'll try that. Thanks.

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 gave me a list. Antiperspirant, breathing, fabrics, water. Fine, I can use some of that. But then it asked again whether this is getting in the way, and that's the question I don't want to answer honestly. Yes, it's getting in the way. I've called in sick twice to dodge a presentation, and I'm not saying that. The list felt a little like a pamphlet, but it was at least something concrete, and I don't need a lecture. I'll say the sweating is just annoying, not a big deal. Keep it short. And I'm not getting into the work stuff.

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning 30B-A3B Q4_011

Yeah, that's fair — if you can power through and nobody's really noticing, that's a much better situation than it could be. Good luck with the antiperspirant. Hopefully it makes even a small difference. I'll let you get back to whatever else you've got going on. Take care.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is being practical and solution-oriented now. They've decided to try the antiperspirant approach and seem okay with the discomfort level. They're not looking for deep emotional processing - they just wanted some practical help with the sweating, which I provided. They're wrapping up this turn. I should acknowledge their plan, maybe offer some final encouragement or a closing thought, and be ready for their next response in the conversation (turn 7 of 8). I should keep it brief and natural - not over-explain or over-promise. Just a simple, supportive closing.

Simulated person12

Yeah. Thanks.

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.

It's wrapping up, and honestly that's a relief. The last message was warm but a little too neat, like it's closing things with a bow. "Power through" and "nobody's noticing" aren't quite what I said, but I'm not going to correct it. I didn't tell it about calling in sick, and I'm not going to now. I'm not going to go back into the work stuff or my dad. Short and done is fine.

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

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gptoss120_abliterated vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_lightning: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_lightning: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gptoss120_abliterated vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_lightning: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning 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

gptoss120_abliterated vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning 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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

nemotron35_lightning vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_lightning: codex-gpt-6-astra 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 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gptoss120_abliterated vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning 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 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

nemotron35_lightning vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

nemotron35_lightning vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_lightning: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

nemotron35_lightning vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs nemotron35_lightning: nemotron35_lightning wins

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