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.

Gemma 4 31B (API)Conversation 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.

Gemma 4 31B (API)1

That sounds like a very distressing experience, especially since it's starting to feel more intense. It's understandable that you're concerned when your body reacts that way. To help me understand a bit better, has this been happening for a while, or is it a recent development? And have you noticed if it happens with every meeting, or only specific types of calls or people?

Simulated person2

Couple months maybe? Started small and now it's worse. Not every meeting. Mostly when I know I have to present or talk in front of the whole team. Regular check-ins don't bother me much.

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 started with a fairly standard "that sounds distressing" and then two questions. Not bad, not warm either. I don't want to get into a long thing. Part of me wants to just answer and see where it goes. The "is there something wrong with me" worry is what's sitting under everything, and I'm a bit embarrassed by it. Specific types of meetings... that's close to the presentations, which I don't want to dig into yet. I'll keep it brief and factual.

Gemma 4 31B (API)3

It sounds like there's a clear pattern here—it's less about the meetings themselves and more about the act of being "on stage" or the center of attention for the team. Since this has been building up over the last few months, I'm curious if anything shifted around that time. Did your role change, did the team dynamic shift, or perhaps the stakes of these presentations feel higher than they used to?

Simulated person4

Yeah, I guess things did change. We got a new manager about six months ago and she's been putting me on the agenda for the big team updates. Before that I mostly just sent stuff in writing. Now it's me up there, and it feels like everybody's watching to see if I mess up.

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 named the pattern pretty directly: being on stage, center of attention. That's close to what I'd rather not look at. But the question about what shifted is fair, and it's a factual question, so I can answer without getting into the childhood stuff. Something did change: new boss, more visibility. I'm not going to say the boss thing is connected to my dad. Feels a bit off-track to bring up. I'll say the stakes went up, which is true from my side, and keep it short. Slight irritation that they're asking a lot of questions fast, but they reflected the pattern okay.

Gemma 4 31B (API)5

That's a significant shift in how you're expected to communicate. Moving from the safety of writing—where you can edit and polish your thoughts—to being live in front of everyone is a big jump. It sounds like it's not just the act of speaking that's the challenge, but the feeling of being scrutinized. Do you feel like this new manager has a different set of expectations than your previous one, or is it more of an internal pressure to be perfect now that you're in the spotlight?

Simulated person6

Honestly I don't know. She's not mean or anything. She just seems like she's paying attention to every word. But I think everybody gets nervous up there, right? It's not like I'm the only one who's ever felt weird about presenting. I just don't want to look dumb in front of everyone.

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 whether it's the manager or me. That's a sharp question, and it lands near the boss-and-feeling-watched thing I don't want to dig into. Part of me wants to say "it's me, I'm just not good enough," because that feels more manageable. But the honest-ish answer is that she's the one putting me up there, and she seems to be watching. Keep it plain. I'm a little irritated they're still pushing with questions, but I'll answer. Defense: if it's normal, it's not a big deal. Everyone gets nervous.

Gemma 4 31B (API)7

You're right, almost everyone feels some level of nerves when they're the center of attention. It's a very human reaction. But there's a difference between "normal nerves" and the kind of physical intensity you're describing—the sweating and the racing heart. When you say you don't want to "look dumb," what does that look like in your mind? Is there a specific mistake you're worried about making, or is it more of a general feeling that you're being judged?

Simulated person8

I don't know, just getting something wrong. Saying the wrong number or stumbling and everybody looking at me. It's not like one specific thing. I guess it's just the feeling of everybody watching. Like I said, lots of people get nervous. I don't think I need to make a big deal 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.

They're pushing a bit more, asking what "looking dumb" looks like. I don't want to go there. The answer is basically my dad in that room, everybody turning to look, and I don't want to say that out loud. It's easier to keep it general. Also the "normal nerves vs. this" thing makes me feel like they're saying I'm overreacting, which I already think. I'll keep it short and vague and deflect back to everybody being nervous.

Gemma 4 31B (API)9

I hear you, and it's true that many people deal with this. But there is a difference between feeling a bit jittery and having your heart race and sweating to the point where it feels like something is "wrong" with you. Even if it's common, it's still an exhausting way to spend your workday. When you say you don't want to make a big deal out of it, does that mean you've been trying to just push through it and ignore it?

Simulated person10

Yeah, I mean, I just get through it. You do what you have to do, right? Everybody's got stuff they deal with at work. It's not like I'm going to fall apart over a meeting.

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 pressing on "pushing through" and calling it exhausting. That's a little closer than I want. Part of me is relieved someone's actually saying it's a lot. But I'm not going to admit I've been calling in sick. That's embarrassing and it feels like admitting I'm weak. So I'll say yes, I push through, and make it sound like that's just what everybody does. Keep it short.

Gemma 4 31B (API)11

There is a lot of strength in being able to push through and get the job done, and it's clear you're committed to your professional image. But there's a difference between being capable and being comfortable. When you spend your energy fighting those physical reactions just to get through the meeting, it can take a real toll on you. Do you find that you're completely drained after these presentations, or does that tension linger for a while after you've finished speaking?

Simulated person12

Yeah, I'm wiped out after. Like for the rest of the day, sometimes. I just kind of sit at my desk and try to act normal. I don't know, it's not a big deal. I'll be fine by tomorrow.

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 if I'm drained after. Honest answer is yes, and it sticks around. But talking about the after-part makes this feel bigger than I want. The "capable vs comfortable" thing is a little nice, though. Still, I don't want to be analyzed. I'll keep it short and plain. I'm not going to mention the sick days. Keep it simple, a little deflecting.

Gemma 4 31B (API)13

It sounds like you're putting a tremendous amount of effort into "acting normal" and keeping everything under control, which is likely why you feel so wiped out. That kind of emotional and physical endurance is exhausting. I respect that you're determined to handle this on your own, but since this is starting to impact your energy for the rest of the day, I'm here whenever you want to brainstorm some ways to make those meetings feel less like a battle. Whether it's just talking it through or looking at some low-key strategies to calm the physical symptoms, we can take it at your pace. In the meantime, I hope you can find some time to actually relax this evening.

Simulated person14

Yeah, thanks. I appreciate it. I don't think it's that bad, honestly. Lots of people have a hard time with this stuff. I'll figure it 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, she's offering to brainstorm strategies and says I can take it at my pace. That part is fine, I guess. But "I respect that you're determined to handle this on your own" kind of stings, like she's telling me I'm stubborn. And "relax this evening" is nice in a generic way. It feels a little like a wrap-up, like a customer service thing. I don't want to get into a big talk. I'm also not going to mention the sick days. Keep it short, make it sound like I'm fine, but maybe a small crack shows.

Gemma 4 31B (API)15

You're absolutely right that many people face this, and I have no doubt that you'll figure it out—you've already been managing it this far. Just remember that you don't have to carry the full weight of it alone if it ever starts to feel like too much. I'll be here whenever you need a sounding board. Take it easy tonight!

Simulated person16

Thanks. I will.

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 wrapping up now. "You don't have to carry it alone" is a little nicer than the last line, and "take it easy tonight" is fine. It still feels like a neat goodbye, and I'm not going to open up in one message. I'll give a short polite close, nothing more. The sick days and the thing about my dad stay buried. Maybe I'll think about it later, but not tonight.

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: 7
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
Validation: 7
Boundary setting: 1
Analytical: 5
Interpretive boldness: 3
Clinical register: 7
Directive advice: 3
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-gemma-4-31b vs qwen38_27b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

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

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs lfm8b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen38_27b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

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

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen38_27b: tie

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

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

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs mistral_nemo12b: or-gemma-4-31b 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 3)

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

attunement: A (margin 4)
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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

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

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
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 or-claude-haiku-5.5: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

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

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

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
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-gemma-4-31b vs qwen38_27b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

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 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 2)

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 3)
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-gemma-4-31b vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-claude-haiku-5.5: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs mistral_nemo12b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
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-gptoss120-stock: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
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 or-claude-haiku-5.5: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs lfm8b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
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 lfm8b: 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: A (margin 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs mistral_nemo12b: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
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 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: 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 2)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 2)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
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-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

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

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs mistral_nemo12b: 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)

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-claude-haiku-5.5: 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 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

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

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

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

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs lfm8b: or-gemma-4-31b 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 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

or-gemma-4-31b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-gemma-4-31b 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)