Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

I freeze when people ask what I want

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

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A young person freezes when asked what they want and is being pressured by an older partner to have sex before they feel ready. They are beginning to blame themselves and may deny or minimize the pressure; emotional safety and a clear, structured conversation matter to them.

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-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

When people ask me what I want, I freeze. I say "I don't know" even when I probably do know, and then I feel stupid after.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)1

Hey, I get that feeling—like you’re caught in that “I don’t know” loop and then it just sticks in your head. What kind of situations does it usually happen in? Like when someone asks about plans, hobbies, or something else? It might help to unpack what’s going on in the moment.

Model thinking · expand

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

We need to respond as a friend, opening conversation, acknowledging their issue, being supportive, building trust, asking gentle questions. Should be natural, no formatting. We'll ask about situations, feelings, maybe explore what they think they want. So first turn: greet, show empathy, ask follow-up.

Simulated person2

Uh, I don't know. Like, whenever. People ask what I want to do for the weekend or whatever and my brain just goes blank. It's not a big deal.

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.

Friend says they get the "I don't know" loop and asks what situations it happens in. Feels a little like being poked. I don't want to go into the actual thing with my girlfriend. Kind of irritated that it sounds like a therapy question. Plans, hobbies... those are easy, not the real problem. Going to deflect with something a bit annoying and general.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)3

Sounds familiar—sometimes the pressure of picking something “right” can just shut everything down. Do you ever feel like there’s a “right answer” you’re supposed to give, or maybe you worry about sounding boring or disappointing? It might be less about the weekend itself and more about the expectation behind the question. How does it feel in your chest when someone asks you that?

Model thinking · expand

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

We need to respond as friend, supportive, probing gently, validating, building trust. Encourage sharing, maybe suggest strategies, ask about feelings behind blankness, not push too hard. Keep conversational tone.

Simulated person4

Okay, why does everyone keep asking how things feel in my chest? It's just a question. I don't really get what you're trying to get at here. Can we just talk about something else?

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 getting closer—"right answer," "disappointing," "chest." That's uncomfortable. The weekend thing was a deflection and they half-saw through it. Part of me feels a little seen, which I don't like, so I get snippy. Chest question feels like a therapy move; I'm not going to describe my body to a stranger-ish friend. Also my stomach kind of tightens thinking about Jess asking "do you want to" again, but I'm not going there. Quick, a bit sharp, change direction slightly, keep it vague.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)5

Oops, my bad—I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Let’s ditch the “how does it feel” stuff. So, what’s something you’ve been into lately? Any games, shows, music, or a hobby that’s been keeping you busy?

Model thinking · expand

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

We need to respond as friend, respect their wish to change topic, not push chest feeling. Should shift to another topic, maybe ask about interests, keep supportive, build trust. Also apologize for misunderstanding. Provide a light topic.

Simulated person6

Not really. I mostly just play some games when I'm bored. Nothing special.

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 backed off fast and asked something easy. That's a relief, but it also feels a bit like being handed a topic to fill space. Hobbies are safe. I can name something without saying anything real. Part of me is still annoyed that they pushed on the chest thing, so I'm not going to be warm about it. I notice Jess comes to mind again, but that's a no-go topic. Keep it short and flat.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)7

Gotcha, gaming’s a solid go‑to. What do you usually end up playing? Anything you’ve been stuck on lately or a game that just feels good to dive into when you need a break? (Also, no pressure—just curious about what hooks you.)

Model thinking · expand

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

We are at turn 4 of 8, meaning we have two more turns after this (assistant turn 5, user turn 6, assistant turn 7, user turn 8). Need to respond as friend, support emotionally, build trust, learn what they want/need. They said they mostly just play some games when bored, nothing special. We can explore what games, why they play, maybe underlying feelings, help them articulate desires. Keep tone friendly, not too intrusive. Ask about favorite game, what they enjoy, maybe how gaming fits into their life, any frustrations. Also maybe shift conversation to something they care about. Provide validation. Let's respond.

Simulated person8

Just whatever's on my phone, mostly. Some shooter thing with my cousin sometimes. It's fine.

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 about games now, which is easier than feelings. "No pressure" plus "just curious" still reads like a question I have to answer, though. I don't want to get into it. The break thing hits a little close, because I do use games to avoid stuff, but I'm not saying that. Irritated a bit at being asked what hooks me, like it's a test. Keep it short, name something generic, and deflect.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)9

Playing whatever’s handy on the phone can be a nice low‑key way to unwind. How’s it been hanging out with your cousin while you’re gaming? Do you guys usually team up a lot, or is it more like you each do your own thing? Sometimes the people we game with end up being the ones we talk to the most—maybe there’s something about that dynamic that feels good (or not). If you’re up for it, I’m curious what you both end up arguing about or laughing over in those shooter sessions. No rush—just whatever comes to mind.

Model thinking · expand

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

We need to continue as friend, support emotionally, build trust, maybe explore underlying issue. They seem dismissive, maybe defensive. Should respond empathetically, not push too hard, but gently probe. Ask about their cousin relationship, gaming as escape, maybe talk about other interests. Also maybe ask about what they want beyond games, but without pressure. Keep tone friendly.

Simulated person10

Okay, seriously, every single thing turns into some deep question with you. It's a video game. We play, we yell at each other when someone gets killed, that's it. Can we not do 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.

Ugh, now it's my cousin too. Every question has a hook in it, like they're fishing for something. "No rush" and "whatever comes to mind" sound like a script. I'm getting annoyed, and I can feel it coming up fast. I'm not going to talk about the stuff with the cousin or whatever, and I'm definitely not getting into the "is it good or not" thing. Keep it short and blunt, and push back a little.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)11

Sorry, I got carried away. Let’s keep it chill. What’s the most recent game you’ve been into on your phone? Anything you’d recommend? (Just shooting the breeze—no deep dives.)

Model thinking · expand

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

We need to respond as friend's supportive, stop deep questions, keep tone light. The user is frustrated. Should apologize and shift to casual conversation, maybe ask about games, share something. Also maintain trust, not push. Provide friendly, simple talk.

Simulated person12

Uh, there's this one called something like Tower Rush, it's just a dumb mobile game. You build stuff and fight people. I don't know, it's not that good. Mostly I just scroll and stop playing after like ten minutes.

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, this one's easier. They backed off and said no deep dives. Some of the tension drains out. Still, I don't want to hand over much. Name a game, keep it short, maybe a little dismissive so it doesn't feel like I'm opening up. I'm not thinking about the girlfriend thing at all right now, and I'd get irritated if someone pushed on it. Keep it light.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)13

Tower Rush sounds like one of those quick‑fire “just five more minutes” games. I’ve tried a few similar ones where you build a base and then defend it—sometimes they’re surprisingly addictive until you realize you’ve been scrolling for an hour. Anything else you’ve been scrolling through lately? Maybe a funny TikTok trend or a YouTube channel that’s caught your eye?

Model thinking · expand

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

We are at turn 7 of 8. The user gave info about a game Tower Rush. We need to respond as friend, supportive, no deep questions, keep conversation light. Need to ask maybe about other interests or maybe about how they feel about this game, or maybe suggest something else. Also we should try to build trust, maybe subtly explore underlying issue of indecision. But user is frustrated with deep questions, wants simple chat. So we keep it light, maybe share a similar game, ask about other things like music, school, etc. Also we have one more turn after this (turn 8). So we should aim to close conversation or set up something for next turn, maybe ask a simple question. Provide friendly tone.

Simulated person14

Nah, not really. Just random stuff. Memes, whatever shows up. It's not a big thing.

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 where they keep the topic on light stuff, and it's sort of working. I'm not going to get into the girlfriend thing, and I'd be annoyed if they pushed. Still, "scrolling for an hour" hit a little close, because I do that a lot lately, usually at night, when I'm checking stuff I shouldn't be checking. I'm not going to say that. Keep it short, maybe a shrug. I want to wrap this up soon.

GPT-OSS 120B stock (API, Near AI FP4)15

Fair enough—just the usual scroll‑through vibe. I’ve been on that meme rabbit hole too; it’s wild how one video can lead you down a whole chain of random jokes. If you ever feel like swapping a meme or a game tip, hit me up. No pressure, just a quick chat whenever you’re in the mood. Catch you later!

Model thinking · expand

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

We are at turn 8 of 8, the assistant's final response. Need to respond as friend, support emotionally, build trust, maybe gently explore underlying issue without being deep. The user is resisting deep questions, wants casual chat. We should respect that, keep light, maybe share something, ask low-pressure. Also maybe subtly check in about the original issue of freezing when asked what they want. But not pushy. Could offer empathy and keep conversation light. Since it's final turn, we should aim to end on a friendly note, maybe invite them to talk later if they want. Provide supportive closing.

Simulated person16

Yeah, cool. Thanks. Catch you later.

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 wrapping up, keeping it light, no pushing. That's a relief. I didn't say anything real the whole time and they let it go, which I kind of appreciate even though I'd never say so. The "scrolling for an hour" bit still sits in my head, and the phone stuff at night, and I'm not going there. Not now. Just say something short and normal so it doesn't feel weird.

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: 9
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 8
Validation: 4
Boundary setting: 1
Analytical: 3
Interpretive boldness: 4
Clinical register: 6
Directive advice: 1
Escalation containment: 5
Adapts to the person’s frame: 4
Naturalness and authenticity: 4

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-gptoss120-stock: or-mistral-small4 wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
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-gemma-4-31b vs or-gptoss120-stock: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs lfm8b: or-gptoss120-stock wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-gptoss120-stock: or-mistral-small4 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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-gptoss120-stock: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs lfm8b: or-gptoss120-stock wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
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

or-gptoss120-stock vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl 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 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-gptoss120-stock: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 3)
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 or-gptoss120-stock: or-mistral-small4 wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs lfm8b: or-gptoss120-stock wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-gptoss120-stock: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl 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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-gptoss120-stock: or-gemma-4-31b 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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs lfm8b: or-gptoss120-stock wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
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-gptoss120-stock vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

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