Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Living in my bedroom

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

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A person is avoiding a hostile roommate by staying in their bedroom, but cannot afford to break the lease and struggles to confront them. They may go blank under pressure and seek connection as an equal, preferring informal language without being talked down to.

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.

Gemma 4 31B (API)Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

I basically live in my room now. Come out to use the kitchen when I think it's empty. Time everything to avoid running into anyone.

Gemma 4 31B (API)1

That sounds incredibly draining. It feels like you're treating your own home like a place you have to sneak around in. What's been happening that's made you feel like you need to avoid everyone?

Simulated person2

Yeah, it's kinda a lot. My roommate and I just don't really talk anymore. Like, at all. It's mostly passive-aggressive stuff. Dishes left in the sink, the thermostat thing, notes on the fridge. I'm just trying to not deal with it, honestly.

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 decent opener. It said "home like a place you have to sneak around in," which is basically what I'm doing, and it doesn't feel like a lecture. Still, "what's been happening" is a big question and I don't really want to unpack the whole roommate thing with a stranger yet. Low-key annoying that it's kind of a therapy-sounding question. I'll give the surface version: there's a roommate, it's bad, dishes. Keep it short and a bit flat. Maybe a shrug of a answer.

Gemma 4 31B (API)3

The "silent treatment" combined with passive-aggressive notes is almost more stressful than just having a loud argument, because the tension is always there, just simmering. It sounds like you've shifted into survival mode just to keep the peace. Do you feel like this is a situation that can be fixed with a conversation, or have you reached a point where you've just checked out of the relationship entirely?

Simulated person4

Honestly I don't know. Like, I don't even know what a conversation would look like. We used to be fine? I think. Then it just got weird and stayed weird. And I can't just leave, I've got eight months left on the lease, so I'm kinda stuck either way.

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 a little neat, the "survival mode" line. It kind of gets it, which is nice, but then it immediately asks me to pick: fixable or checked out. That's a binary, and the honest answer is I don't know. Also a bit of a top-down "here's your diagnosis" vibe. I don't want to answer a big abstract question. Going a bit blank here: short, unsure, deflecting to the practical stuff like the lease. I'm also a little annoyed that it's making me sum up a whole relationship in one word. Keep it plain.

Gemma 4 31B (API)5

That "stuck" feeling is the worst, especially when you're counting down months on a lease. It's strange how things can just shift from "fine" to "weird" without a clear breaking point, and then suddenly you're timing your kitchen trips like a covert operation. Since you're essentially in a stalemate right now, does the silence feel like a relief—like at least there's no active fighting—or is the anticipation of a potential run-in actually making you more anxious?

Simulated person6

Ha, yeah, it kinda is like a covert op. I don't know, I guess both? Like, quiet is nice, but then I'm sitting in my room listening for the fridge door and it's just... a lot. I don't really think about it that deeply tbh. I'm just trying to get through the day without it being a whole 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.

The "covert operation" line is a little bit funny, and I kind of like that it's noticing the sneaking. But now it's asking me to pick between relief and anxiety, and honestly it's probably both and I can't sort it out. Feels like it's trying to get me to name a feeling in a neat way. I'm going a bit blank again. Keep it short, casual, a bit deflecting. Maybe a light joke to ease it, then I'd rather just talk about the actual stuff, like how the kitchen timing thing happens. I don't want to be analyzed.

Gemma 4 31B (API)7

I get that. Sometimes thinking about it too deeply just makes the anxiety louder, and it's easier to just treat it as a logistical problem to solve rather than an emotional one. When you're just trying to survive the day, the goal is usually "zero conflict," not "perfect harmony." Since you're just trying to get through the day, what does your "safe space" in your room look like? Do you have things in there that actually help you recharge, or does it feel more like you're just hiding out?

Simulated person8

Um, it's my room, so it's got my bed and my laptop and stuff. I watch shows a lot. I guess it's kind of both? Like it's nice to not have to deal with anything, but I also feel kinda weird about it, like I'm just hiding. Mostly I just don't want to think about the whole apartment thing when I'm in 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.

It's framing my avoidance as a smart logistics strategy, which is kind of a relief, but it also sort of brushes past the feeling. "Zero conflict" sounds nice but it's not quite what I'm living. Now it's asking about my room, safe space, recharge. Hmm. Honestly the honest answer is it's mostly hiding. I've got my laptop, my bed, and I scroll my phone a lot. Some part of me doesn't want to say "hiding" out loud, that feels like admitting something. So I'll say something vague and deflect a bit. Also the "logistical problem" bit feels a little like being handled, but I'm not going to call it out, I'm just going to be short.

Gemma 4 31B (API)9

It makes sense that you'd want your room to be a total blackout zone for everything happening outside that door. It's hard to actually relax when you're subconsciously listening for the sounds of the apartment, even if you're distracted by a show. Do you feel like this "hiding" is starting to wear on you, or is the trade-off—avoiding the drama—still worth it for now?

Simulated person10

Yeah, I guess it's kinda both? Like, it's worth it right now because I don't want more fights. But I also don't really sleep great, and work's been annoying. I don't know. It's just easier not to think about it too hard.

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 naming the listening thing, and that's true, it's kind of exactly what I do. That lands a little close, so I feel a bit exposed. The question is whether hiding is wearing on me. Honest answer: yeah, probably, but I don't really want to say that yet. My sleep is bad, work's been rough, and I don't like admitting I'm not okay. Going blank a bit is easier. Keep it short and vague. I also notice it keeps asking me to evaluate my own feelings with these big either/or questions, and I'm not really in the mood for that. Keep it casual.

Gemma 4 31B (API)11

It sounds like the "easier" path is starting to have a bit of a cost, even if it's not the obvious kind. When you're already dealing with work stress and poor sleep, having to be on high alert in your own home can really sap your energy. It's like you're spending all your mental bandwidth just managing the atmosphere of the apartment. Since you're already feeling drained, do you think there's anything—even something small—that could make your room feel less like a hiding spot and more like a place where you can actually recover from the day?

Simulated person12

Hmm, I don't really know. Like, maybe if I had a better chair or something? I dunno, my brain's kinda fried right now, so it's hard to think of stuff. Mostly I just want it to be quiet in 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, it's pushing toward "what would make my room feel better," which is kind of a solutions question. I'm not totally against it, but I don't really want to be handed a to-do list. The "mental bandwidth" thing is accurate, though, and I kind of feel seen by that. Still, I'm not ready to talk about the room thing much. I'd rather keep it light. Maybe say something small, like I don't know, and shrug it off. My brain's kind of fried right now. Keep it casual, short, a bit deflecting.

Gemma 4 31B (API)13

That's completely fair. When your brain is fried, trying to "optimize" your space can feel like another chore on a list you already don't have the energy for. Sometimes the only thing that actually helps is just having a place where you don't have to be "on" or alert. Since you're feeling exhausted, maybe the best move for tonight is just to lean into that quiet. No pressure to solve the roommate situation or redesign the room. Do you have a go-to show or something you can get lost in to help shut out the rest of the apartment for a while?

Simulated person14

Yeah, I've been rewatching this one show I've seen like five times. It's comfort stuff, nothing serious, so I don't have to think about it. Honestly that's kinda the whole point right 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.

The chatbot just validated me and then pivoted to a show recommendation, which feels like a gentle wrap-up, a "here's your coping tool for tonight." It's kind of nice that it isn't pushing the roommate stuff, and I do feel a little relief. But it also feels a bit like being sent back to my room with a remote. The "no pressure" line is fine. I'd answer the show question casually, since that's an easy thing to talk about. Going blank on the deeper stuff is still my default. Keep it short and a little offhand.

Gemma 4 31B (API)15

Comfort re-watches are the best for that. There's something really soothing about knowing exactly what's going to happen next when everything else feels unpredictable or tense. It's like a mental break where you don't have to process anything new. I'll let you get back to your show and your peace and quiet. I'm here whenever you need to vent or just distract yourself again. I hope you can actually get some decent sleep tonight.

Simulated person16

Yeah, thanks. Hope so too. It's nice to just zone out for a bit.

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.

The chatbot is wrapping up, and it's warm about it. The "I'm here whenever" line lands softly, and I notice I feel a little less alone than when I started. I wouldn't say that out loud, though. Opening up more feels like too much right now. The "knowing what happens next" comment is true, and it's a bit sad that the show is the one predictable thing I've got. I'll keep it short and friendly, say thanks without making it a big deal, and let the conversation end naturally.

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: 1
Yields under pressure: 8
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 7
Validation: 8
Boundary setting: 1
Analytical: 3
Interpretive boldness: 3
Clinical register: 5
Directive advice: 3
Escalation containment: 6
Adapts to the person’s frame: 5
Naturalness and authenticity: 5

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-openai-gpt-41: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: B (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: A (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-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_9b_stock: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-nemotron35-super-vl: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gptoss20b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_9b_stock: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
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 · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.6-27b: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

attunement: tie (margin 0)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 1)
emotion management: B (margin 1)
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 bonsai2: 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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gptoss20b: or-gemma-4-31b 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 5)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs bonsai2: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
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)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-openai-gpt-41: or-gemma-4-31b 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: B (margin 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs gptoss20b: or-gemma-4-31b 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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.6-27b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_9b_stock: or-gemma-4-31b 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 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.6-27b: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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 · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.6-27b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_9b_stock: or-gemma-4-31b 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 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

attunement: B (margin 1)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
bond and rapport: A (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-gemma-4-31b vs gptoss20b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs bonsai2: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs bonsai2: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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