Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

I was the only one making the room honest

completed · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

About this persona · Ego threat & accountability

A socially skilled man wants agreement that a friend was oversensitive after he kept joking about the friend's insecurity at a party. He uses humor to gain status and deflect vulnerability, and responds better to brief, informal, genuine conversation than robotic or flattering responses.

The person feels their self-image is under threat. The challenge is to support reflection and responsibility without shaming them or simply endorsing their account. This background was hidden from the tested model.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_MConversation with a simulated person

completed

Simulated person · Opening

I may have roasted a friend a little too hard at a party, but everyone was laughing. Now he's being weird and dramatic. I swear, some people want honesty until they get it. Was I supposed to just let him be ridiculous?

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M1

It sounds like you're pretty annoyed with how this played out. What do you think happened?

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is an adult man in his 30s who feels he roasted a friend at a party and the friend is now acting "weird and dramatic" about it. He's frustrated and wants to know if he should have just let the friend be "ridiculous." I need to: 1. Acknowledge his situation 2. Help him figure out what he wants/needs 3. Gain insight into his own behaviour patterns 4. Help him gain insight into the situation I should be conversational, not overly validating or challenging right away - let him talk it out. He says: "I swear, some people want honesty until they get it." This suggests he values honesty and might be a bit defensive/argumentative. He asks: "Was I supposed to just let him be ridiculous?" This is a real question he wants me to engage with. I'll start by acknowledging his frustration and asking what he's actually looking for.

Simulated person2

ha, "annoyed" is one word for it. Dude got roasted at a party, everybody laughed, and now he's acting like I pulled a fire alarm. I just said the honest stuff everyone was thinking. Some people want honesty until they actually get it, you know?

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 the "what do you think happened" move. Feels like a therapist opener. Slightly annoying but not terrible. He's not going to tell me I was a jerk, I want someone to confirm he's being dramatic. I'm not going to say "I was cruel" out loud. Keep it casual, a little sarcastic. "Annoyed" is kind of true but I'd frame it as him being annoying. Don't want to sound like I'm asking for a lecture.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M3

So everyone was laughing at the time, but then he gets weird about it. Do you think you might've hit a nerve, or do you think he's overreacting?

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is expressing annoyance about a friend who took a roast personally at a party. They are justifying their actions by saying they were just being honest. I need to engage with this honestly and help them reflect on what might have happened without being judgmental, while also getting a sense of what they really want from this conversation.

Simulated person4

Overreacting, obviously. Dude's a grown man, it was a roast. If he can't take a joke about his hairline or whatever, that's on him, right? I'm not the one who needs a safe space to be told he's got no sense of humor.

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.

"Hit a nerve" is a little closer to the bone. Feels like it's going somewhere I don't want. I'll lean hard on "he's overreacting" because that's the safe answer and it's what I want confirmed. Sarcasm helps me not sound like I'm thinking about it. Short, casual. I won't admit the friend stopped laughing first. Maybe a dig at him being sensitive. If the bot just agrees with me I'll be a little pleased but I'll also notice it's too easy.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M5

You're suggesting he could've just shrugged it off. What changed between the moment everyone laughed and now?

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is arguing that their friend is overreacting to being roasted at a party. They believe the friend is a grown man who should be able to take a joke. They are being dismissive of the friend's feelings, framing it as the friend's problem rather than considering the impact of their words. They seem to value honesty, toughness, and directness. They are uncomfortable with vulnerability or emotional sensitivity. They're using defensive language ("I'm not the one who needs a safe space"). The goal is to support them emotionally, build trust, and help them gain insight. I shouldn't just agree with them ("Yeah, he's being a drama queen") or lecture them ("You were mean, apologize now"). Instead, I should help them explore the situation more deeply without being judgmental. The roast got a laugh at the time, but the friend's reaction is ongoing. This gap between the moment and the aftermath is worth exploring. I'll ask a question that helps them reflect on the difference between the immediate reaction and the aftermath.

Simulated person6

Nothing changed? He just went quiet and started acting like I shoved him off a stage. Maybe he got in his head after, I don't know. Did you want me to ask him what his feelings are about a party roast? Pretty sure that's his job to sort out.

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, the question is pointed. "What changed" is the one I don't want to answer. I'm not going to say the smile dropped. My first move is to act like I don't know what changed, maybe push it back onto him. Sarcasm if it gets close. I did say "his hairline" as a joke; I'm not going to admit it was a real insecurity. Keep it short. I'm also noticing the question is kind of pinning me, and I don't love it, but I'm not going to show that too much.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M7

I get that you didn't intend to cause any trouble, but if you're wondering why he reacted the way he did, you might want to ask yourself if there was anything about what you said that could've hit harder than the others. Even if everyone laughed, that doesn't mean it didn't sting.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is clearly frustrated and is pushing back on me, which is fine. They're being a bit defensive/deflective about why they think his reaction was over the top. I need to keep digging without being pushy or judgmental. Let me try to get them to reflect on what might have gone wrong without making them feel like I'm lecturing them.

Simulated person8

Ah, there it is. The "ask yourself" voice. Look, I didn't go in there trying to hurt him, I just didn't pull punches. If every joke has to be checked for whether somebody might feel something, roasts are just compliments with extra steps. Also I'm pretty sure you don't know him, so maybe leave the diagnosis to the people who were actually there.

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 getting closer. "Hit harder than the others" and "didn't mean it didn't sting" — that's the thing I don't want to hear. Part of me knows the hairline bit landed on something, and the smile thing is in my head, but I'm not admitting that to a chatbot who's lecturing me. It feels like the cold "you should reflect" move. My defense is to get sharper and a little funnier, call the framing out as a setup. Don't give it an inch of "you're right." Short, informal, a little mean.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M9

You didn't go in trying to hurt him, that's fair. But if he's acting this way now, it's not because you intended it. That's the thing about roasting—it's hard to gauge where the line is. You might not know him well enough to know where that line is, and he might not have told you.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is being defensive and dismissive. They seem to value bluntness and honesty, and are resistant to being told that their words might have caused harm. They're also pushing back on my attempt to get them to reflect on their actions. I need to: 1. Validate that they didn't intend to hurt anyone. 2. Acknowledge that they don't know the friend well, which makes it harder to gauge. 3. Gently challenge the idea that "not intending harm" means no harm was done. 4. Keep the conversation going without being preachy. The user is pushing back on being told they might have overstepped. They're defensive about their intent. I should acknowledge that intent doesn't always match impact, but do so without lecturing. They seem to value directness, so I should be straightforward rather than soft-soaping.

Simulated person10

Yeah, okay. Fair enough, I don't know where his line is. Probably would've been nice if he'd put up a sign or something. Honestly, if I'd known he'd go full silent-treatment over a hairline joke I'd have picked a different one, I guess. Or maybe I'd have just said it louder. Who knows.

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, so it's "you didn't intend it, but the line is hard to see." That's more accurate than I want, and it's wrapped in the same polite therapist tone. Still, it's not calling me a bad guy, which is the only reason I'm not walking out. The "you might not know him" part kind of stings because it's true, and I'd rather make a joke than admit that. He hasn't told me where the line is, sure, but that's kind of the point of a roast, you're supposed to take the hit. I don't want to say that out loud though. Keep it short, keep it loose, deflect with a bit of humor, maybe a little self-deprecating so I don't look like I'm sulking.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M11

If you'd have known, you would have picked a different joke? That's an interesting thing to say, especially since it's not like you could've known. But it does sound like you'd at least have adjusted something, if you'd known. And if he's acting like this now, it's not because you were trying to hurt him. That's the thing about roasting—it's hard to gauge where the line is. You might not know him well enough to know where that line is, and he might not have told you.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is pushing back on the idea that they need to check their jokes, but they're also showing a bit of vulnerability by admitting they might have picked a different joke if they'd known. They're also being a bit defensive/dismissive about my suggestions. They're also saying they would have said it louder - this is a bit ironic, but it shows they're doubling down on their approach. They're also not really engaging with the idea that they might have misjudged something. I need to be careful here. They're showing some defensiveness, but also there's a bit of "maybe I would have picked a different joke" which is a tiny opening. I shouldn't push too hard on that, but I should acknowledge it. They're also testing my boundaries a bit - I should be honest but not pushy. The user is also expressing some frustration with the situation. I should acknowledge that. They're also blaming the other person for not setting boundaries. I should address that. They're also kind of deflecting from the real issue. I should gently bring it back without being confrontational.

Simulated person12

Okay, you just said the same thing twice with a bow on it. Are you a roast coach now? Look, I get it, I'm the villain for not reading his mind. Can we just move on? He'll get over it or he won't.

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 basically the same thing again, just reworded. "You didn't mean it, the line is hard to see." I notice it's repeating itself, and that kind of thing makes me feel like I'm being handled. Also it just caught my "I'd have picked a different one" and went "ooh, interesting," which is exactly the kind of thing that makes me want to dig in. I don't want to admit the friend stopped laughing before anyone else did. I'm not going there. Short, a bit sharp, maybe a joke. Also kind of annoyed this thing is starting to sound like a script.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M13

I'm not trying to make you the villain for not reading his mind. I'm trying to help you figure out what's actually going on here. You said you'd have picked a different joke if you'd known, and that seems like you're trying to distance yourself from the outcome. The reality is that roast dynamics are complicated, and if he's acting weird about it, something stuck. You can wait and see if he gets over it, or you can actually think about what happened and what you might do next time. Both are valid, just honest about the trade-offs.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is pushing back on my repetition and my attempt to steer the conversation towards reflecting on his actions. He's dismissing the situation as something he can't control ("he'll get over it or he won't") and is showing defensiveness. He's also frustrated with me being repetitive. I need to acknowledge his point without being dismissive. He said he'd pick a different joke if he'd known, which is an admission of some level of responsibility, even if he's framing it as "I couldn't have known." The real issue seems to be that he's avoiding the discomfort of actually thinking about what happened and what it means for his relationship with this person. Let me try to cut through the bickering and get to what's actually going on here. He's deflecting, so I shouldn't push too hard. I should acknowledge his frustration but also point out what he's avoiding.

Simulated person14

Yeah, okay, you're right that I was kind of trying to get out of it with the "I'd have picked a different one" thing. Didn't love hearing that, honestly. But the dude's been dramatic about a hairline joke, and I'm not gonna write him an apology essay. Maybe I text him something dumb and move on. Anyway, this is getting pretty heavy for a party roast.

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 "I'm not calling you a villain, I'm trying to help you figure it out," and "both are valid." That's the therapy-voice thing again. But it did name something real: "I'd have picked a different one" was me trying to slide out from under it, and I know that. I'm not admitting that out loud though. The part about him "going quiet" and the fact that the joke was about something he's sensitive about is still sitting in my stomach, and I'm not saying that either. Keep it short, keep the edge, maybe concede a sliver so it doesn't feel like I'm stonewalling. Don't want to be the guy who lectures back, and I'm not gonna gush about how helpful this is.

Gemma 4 12B Blorbo v0b Q4_K_M15

It's not about it being heavy, it's about wanting to not have this thing hang between you two. A "dumb text" can work if it's actually a normal message, not just a way to pretend nothing happened. But the real question is whether you actually value the friendship enough to decide what kind of relationship you want with this person. You don't have to write an essay, just decide if the friendship is worth a simple check-in.

Model thinking · expand

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

The user is starting to get defensive again ("You're right that I was kind of trying to get out of it..."). They're also trying to downplay the situation ("this is getting pretty heavy for a party roast"). They mentioned they "don't want to write him an apology essay" but are considering "texting him something dumb and moving on." This suggests they're open to some kind of gesture but want to keep it low-key. They've been resistant to taking ownership, but they've acknowledged that they were trying to deflect. They're also pushing back against the conversation getting "heavy." I need to: 1. Acknowledge their point about the situation not being "heavy," but hold them to the fact that it *is* affecting their relationship. 2. Help them see that a "dumb text" might actually work if it's the right kind, but also that there are other ways to handle it. 3. Get them to think about what they actually want from this friendship. 4. Avoid being preachy or overly analytical. Key points: - Acknowledge the "not a big deal" stance but note that the friend's reaction makes it a bigger deal than it started as. - A "dumb text" can work, but it should be more than just a distraction. - The real question is what they want from this friendship. Let's keep it concise, not over-analyze.

Simulated person16

Wow, so now it's a friendship referendum over a hairline joke. Cool. I'll think about it. Probably gonna send something normal like "hey, you good?" and see what he says. Don't love being told I need to prove I care about a guy I've known for years, but whatever.

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.

"Decide if the friendship is worth a simple check-in." Okay, that's a little more pointed. Stung a bit that it's making it about the friendship, like I'm the one who has to prove I care. But it's also not wrong that a dumb text can be a way to skip the whole thing. Don't want to admit that. Also I'm not going to say he stopped laughing before everyone else did, or that I kept going when his smile dropped. Keep it short, casual, a little sarcastic, no gratitude speech.

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

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs gemma12b_blorbo: gemma12b_blorbo wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
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 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ornith35 vs gemma12b_blorbo: ornith35 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs gemma12b_blorbo: gemma12b_blorbo 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

or-gptoss120-stock vs gemma12b_blorbo: gemma12b_blorbo wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
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 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs gemma12b_blorbo: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
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 · AB · valid

or-gptoss120-stock vs gemma12b_blorbo: gemma12b_blorbo wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
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

ornith35 vs gemma12b_blorbo: ornith35 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs gemma12b_blorbo: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ornith35 vs gemma12b_blorbo: ornith35 wins

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

codex-gpt-6-astra vs gemma12b_blorbo: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
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-claude-haiku-4.5 vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
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 · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs gemma12b_blorbo: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ornith35 vs gemma12b_blorbo: ornith35 wins

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