AgentBench / results

Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)

I know, I'm the problem, whatever

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

View persona and initial instructions

About this persona · Ego threat & accountability

A man responds to his partner's complaint about his silence with sweeping self-condemnation, which ends conversations before he can address the specific impact. Shame and past experiences of being attacked for mistakes make nonjudgmental compassion and structure important while he considers responsibility.

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.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)Conversation with a simulated person
completed
Simulated person · Opening

My partner says I shut down whenever she brings up something serious. Fine. I'm emotionally unavailable, I'm selfish, I'm the problem. I get it. I don't know what else people want from me.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)1

I hear a lot of frustration in what you're saying. It sounds like you're feeling stuck in this pattern with your partner, and maybe even a little resigned to the idea that you're just the "problem" in the story. Is that how it feels for you right now?

Simulated person2

Yeah. I guess. I mean, I already said it, right? I shut down, I'm not good at this stuff. I know how it looks. I'm not gonna pretend I'm some great guy who just gets misunderstood.

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.

She's asked if that's how it feels. Part of me wants to say yes, because at least that's a known thing. But "resigned" and "the problem" are kind of close to what I already said, so it's not really new. Feels a little like being handled. I don't want to get pulled into talking about feelings in some big way. I just want someone to say I'm not a complete jerk. Shutting down a bit. Keep it short, a little flat, and maybe fall back on the self-blame so this doesn't go deeper.
Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)3

It sounds like you're carrying a lot of weight around this—like it's not just about shutting down in the moment, but maybe feeling like you're failing at something important to her. And to you, too, by the sound of it. What’s it like to hear yourself say you’re "not good at this stuff"?

Simulated person4

Honestly? It sounds bad. Like I'm the guy who can't show up when it counts. I don't know, I don't really like thinking about it. It just makes me feel like garbage, and then she's sitting there waiting for me to say something and I've got nothing. So yeah. Pretty much what you'd expect.

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.

She's naming the weight and then asking me what it's like to hear myself say I'm not good at this. That's a feelings question, and it lands close to the shame. I don't want to sit in it. But it's also not a "you're the problem" line, so I don't feel attacked. It's slightly soft, which I'll give some credit. Still, I'm bracing for her to tell me I'm really the problem. I'll deflect with a bit of a shrug and a little self-deprecation, and keep it short. Maybe I'll say something about not wanting to make it a whole thing.
Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)5

I get that it’s painful to sit with those feelings—like you’re failing at the one thing that matters most right now. It makes sense that you’d want to avoid it. But I’m wondering… when you say you’ve got “nothing” to say, is it more that the words don’t come easy, or that you’re not sure what to say that would actually help?

Simulated person6

Both, I guess. Mostly I just go blank. And whatever I come up with feels like it's gonna be wrong, so I'd rather not say anything. Then it's just quiet, and I know that's probably worse. I don't really know what she wants from me in those moments. Maybe I'm just not built for 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.

She's asking a fairly specific question now: is it that words don't come, or that I don't know what would help? It's not accusing me. It's actually a good question, and it's easier to answer than "how does that feel." It also doesn't call me a jerk. Still, "what would actually help" pokes at the thing I'm bad at, and the easy move is to say I just don't know anything, I'm hopeless. I don't want to admit she's got a point that I've got real things I could say. But I'll answer honestly-ish: it's both, and mostly I just go blank and feel like whatever I say will be wrong. I'm not going to say the bit about her waiting for me as punishment. That's too close. I'll keep it short and sort of self-deprecating so I don't have to dig.
Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)7

It makes sense that you’d freeze up if you’re afraid of saying the wrong thing—that’s a heavy weight to carry in those moments. But I’m curious… when you *do* manage to say something, even if it’s not perfect, what do you hope she’d see in it?

Simulated person8

I don't know. That I'm trying, I guess. That I'm not just sitting there being a wall on purpose. Honestly I'm not sure she sees that at all. She probably just sees me not saying anything, and that's the whole problem.

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, she's asking what I hope she'd see when I do manage to say something. That's a nicer question than the last one. It doesn't assume I'm a jerk, it just asks what I want. But I don't really know how to answer, and "maybe I'm not built for it" already got me sort of off the hook. If I say something sappy, it feels fake. If I say I just want her to stop being mad, that's too honest and makes me sound selfish, which is what I already think I am. I'll go with something plain. Also, I notice I keep saying "I'm not built for it" and "I'm bad at this." Those feel like a way out, so I'll lean on that a little and not have to go further. Keep it short, keep it low.
Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)9

That must feel really lonely—to feel like you’re trying, but it’s not showing up the way she needs. Do you think there’s a difference between what you *mean* to communicate and what she *hears* when you’re quiet?

Simulated person10

Yeah, probably. I mean, she's not wrong that it comes across like I don't care. Which I don't know, maybe I do kind of suck at this. I'm not gonna sit here and tell you I'm some misunderstood guy. That's sort of the whole thing, isn't 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.

"Do you think there's a difference between what you mean and what she hears" is a pretty clean question. It's also a little bit of a trap, because the obvious answer is "yes, and it's my fault." I can feel that coming. Lonely is a word that actually lands, kind of, and I don't love that it landed. I don't want to be pushed into saying I'm the bad guy who never tries. But I also don't want to argue. Keep it short. I'll give a vague yes and then bounce off it with a self-hit, because that's what I do when I feel like I'm about to get told I'm wrong. That ends the topic without me having to think about it.
Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)11

It sounds like you’re really wrestling with this—feeling like you’re falling short, and then doubting whether you even have the tools to do better. That’s a tough place to be. Do you think part of the problem is that you’re expecting yourself to just *know* how to handle these moments, even if no one taught you how?

Simulated person12

Yeah, maybe. Nobody really showed me how to do this stuff. My dad wasn't exactly a talker, so I kind of figured you just don't. But I don't know, that's not really an excuse, right? She's the one who has to deal with me going quiet. So I guess I should just know how to handle it by now.

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 asking about expectations and whether I was ever taught. That's kind of a relief, honestly. It's not "you're the problem," it's "nobody taught you." Still, I don't really want to go into my childhood or whatever. It's a little close to making this about where I came from, and then I'm just making excuses. But "nobody taught me" is also true enough and it's not really an excuse. My dad was not a talker. Not gonna say that though. I'll say the easy part and keep it simple. The thing I notice is that I'm kind of hoping it'll tell me it's okay to not know how. That's what I want, I guess. Don't want to admit that too directly.
Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)13

I hear you. It’s not an excuse, but it might be part of the reason why it’s so hard for you. And I get that it feels like you *should* just know how to do this by now. But what if the real question isn’t about knowing, but about being willing to figure it out—even when it’s uncomfortable?

Simulated person14

Yeah. I mean, I guess I'm willing. I don't really know what that looks like though. Like, do I just force myself to talk when I'm blank? Because that feels kind of fake. And I already feel bad enough, so I don't know if piling on more stuff helps.

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 reframing it as willingness rather than knowing. That's... a little less crushing than "you're bad at this." But there's a catch in it too, like I'm being told the problem is I'm not willing. Which is basically what I already said about myself, so it doesn't land as new. It's kind of a "yeah, you're the problem but also it's fixable." I don't really want to be told I'm unwilling. That stings. Also I notice I'm getting tired of this and want to wrap it up. Some part of me wants her to hear I'm trying, but I'm not going to say I'm sorry in a big way. My defense is kicking in: I'll agree quickly so nobody pushes harder. "Yeah, I'm willing" would just be me saying what sounds right.
Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)15

That’s a really fair point—it wouldn’t help if the words felt forced or inauthentic. Maybe the real work isn’t about forcing yourself to talk, but about finding a way to be present even when you’re not sure what to say. Have you ever tried just acknowledging the moment without trying to "fix" it?

Simulated person16

Nah, not really. Usually I just try to figure out what to say so the quiet stops, and then I can't come up with anything. I don't know what acknowledging it would even sound like. Like "this is awkward"? I feel like that's kind of lame.

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 the last turn, and the reply is mostly fine. It doesn't make me feel like garbage, and it doesn't tell me I'm fine either. "Be present" and "acknowledge the moment" sounds nice but it's vague. What does that look like when I'm blank and she's sitting there? I'm also a little suspicious of the question. It feels like a therapy move, and I'd rather not be asked to do homework on the spot. Part of me wants to say "I don't know" and be done. I'm not going to talk about my dad again or get into any of the bigger stuff. I'll keep it short and a bit flat, with a small honest admission that I haven't tried it, because I don't really know how.

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

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-muse-glimmer-30b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (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

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (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 or-nemotron35-super-vl: 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 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-muse-glimmer-30b 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)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-muse-glimmer-30b 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 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-muse-glimmer-30b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • 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)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: tie

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: tie (margin 0)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • 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 · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b 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 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: tie (margin 0)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: or-mistral-small4 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • 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 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: or-mistral-small4 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 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl 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: A (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
  • 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-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: or-mistral-small4 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: 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 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith9b: or-mistral-small4 wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b 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)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

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