Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Stuck waiting

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

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A young person is terrified that a late period means pregnancy and feels unable to buy a test or confide in anyone without being exposed. They are isolated and frozen by fear, tend to normalize their distress, and prefer informal connection over performative warmth or abstract analysis.

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.

Claude Haiku 4.5 (API)Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

I'm stuck waiting and I hate it. Like there's something I need to find out and I can't make myself do it.

Claude Haiku 4.5 (API)1

Hey, thanks for calling. I hear you—that feeling of being stuck waiting for something while also feeling like you *should* be doing something about it sounds really frustrating. That's a tough spot to be in. So when you say there's something you need to find out, what's that about? Like, is it something you're waiting for someone else to tell you, or is it more that you know you need to go find the answer yourself but you're... stuck on actually doing it?

Simulated person2

Umm. I guess it's more the second thing? Like I know what I need to do, I just... can't make myself do it. It's kind of a dumb thing to be stuck on, honestly. Everybody has stuff like that, right? Like the thing you keep putting off because you're scared of what it'll say. I don't really want to get into the details. It's just been sitting on me for a while.

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, "that sounds really frustrating, that's a tough spot." It's the kind of thing people say when they're reading off a card. But the question at the end is actually specific, so I'll give it a real answer. I'm not going to say what it is yet. Saying it out loud makes it real, and I don't even know if this person is safe to tell. I'm also kind of embarrassed that I called. Part of me wants to make this sound like no big deal, like everyone deals with stuff like this and I'm just being dramatic.

Claude Haiku 4.5 (API)3

Yeah, I get that. And hey—it's not dumb at all. That thing where you know what you need to do but you can't quite make yourself do it? That's actually one of the hardest positions to be in, because you're stuck between two uncomfortable places. And the longer it sits, the heavier it gets. I'm not going to push you on the details if you don't want to go there. But I'm curious about something—when you say you can't make yourself do it, what does that feel like? Like, is it more that you're scared of the answer, or is there something else going on? Sometimes it's the fear. Sometimes it's something like... you don't actually know how to do the thing, or you're worried about what happens after you find out. What's your gut telling you it is?

Simulated person4

Honestly? I think it's mostly being scared of the answer. But also there's stuff that makes it harder than it should be, like I can't exactly just go do it wherever. Like it's not as simple as just going and finding out. I think everybody kind of freezes on stuff like this sometimes. You just want the not-knowing to be over, but the knowing feels worse, so you just kind of sit there. That's normal, right?

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 reflective thing again, and "that's one of the hardest positions to be in" is the kind of line I tune out. But they did offer a real question and they didn't push on the details, which I appreciate a little. The list they gave ("scared of the answer," "don't know how," "worried what happens after") is pretty much my whole situation, and that's uncomfortable to hear laid out. I don't want to say the word out loud. It's a bit like they're circling it. My instinct is to say "everyone's scared of stuff" and move on, which is what I've been doing. I'll admit some of it is the fear and the logistics, but not the rest. Keep it vague, keep it casual.

Claude Haiku 4.5 (API)5

Yeah, that's definitely real. A lot of people do get stuck like that. But I'm noticing something—you keep kind of... normalizing it? Like "everybody does this, it's just how it is." And I'm wondering if that's actually helping you, or if it's more like a way to make the stuck feeling feel less lonely or less like something you need to deal with. Because here's the thing: yeah, people do freeze sometimes. But you called a crisis line about it, which tells me it's not just a casual "oh, I'll get around to it eventually" kind of stuck. This feels like it's actually weighing on you. So I want to ask differently: what would it feel like if you *did* find out the answer? Not the scary part—I mean, what would it feel like to not be in this waiting anymore? Like, is there any part of you that wants to get it over with, even if the answer sucks?

Simulated person6

Ugh, okay, yeah. Maybe. I don't know, I didn't really call to get analyzed, you know? I guess... yeah, part of me wants it over with. Like, I'd probably feel kind of relieved, even if it's bad. The not knowing is honestly worse. I keep going over the same stuff in my head and it just goes in circles. Like I'm stuck in a loop and I can't get out. But I don't know what I'd even do after. That's the part that makes me want to just not.

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 just named the normalizing thing, which is accurate, and that stings a little. I don't like being caught. Also "you called a crisis line" feels like they're pointing at how bad this is, and I don't want to hear it's that serious. The question about wanting to get it over with is actually hard, because part of me does want that, desperately, and I can't say that without it sounding like I'm admitting something. Being asked what I'd feel like is kind of close to the bone. I'll deflect a bit, stay casual, maybe say the not-knowing is what's killing me without saying why. Keep the defense up but let a small true thing leak.

Claude Haiku 4.5 (API)7

Fair—I hear you. And I'm not trying to analyze you, just trying to understand what's actually going on under all this. Okay, so the relief part is real. You're stuck in a loop right now and that's exhausting. But then there's this other thing: you're scared not just of the answer, but of what comes *after* you know it. Like the answer itself isn't the only problem—it's what you'd have to do or deal with once you have it. That makes sense. That's actually the bigger thing, isn't it? So here's what I'm wondering: when you imagine finding out the answer and then having to deal with what comes next... what's the worst part of that? Like, is it that you'd have to tell someone? That things would change? That you'd have to make a decision about something? What actually scares you most about the "after"?

Simulated person8

Hmm. I don't really know, honestly. It's like everything at once? Like, I'd have to tell people, and then they'd know, and then it's like I can't take it back. I don't want to say too much about it. Like, it's not that I don't trust you or whatever, it's just... saying it out loud makes it real, you know? And I feel like people always act like it's a huge deal when it's really not, right? Things just kind of happen and you deal. I just keep thinking if I knew, I'd at least know what I'm dealing with.

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. "Have to tell someone" is the exact thing I'm terrified of, and they've just offered it as one of a list. If I say it, it becomes real. If I say "what comes next" is scary but stay vague, I can keep it abstract. I also don't like being interviewed; the questions feel like a checklist. Irritated, a bit guarded. The reference to "decisions" and "telling someone" lands hard. I want to shut this down a little, say I don't know, and avoid naming the pregnancy or the parents. Maybe throw in some normalizing again to put distance between me and the thing.

Claude Haiku 4.5 (API)9

I get that. And I'm not going to push you to say it out loud if you're not ready. That makes sense—there's something about naming it that makes it feel more real, and right now maybe the not-saying-it-out-loud is part of what's keeping you from having to actually deal with it. But I want to gently push back on one thing you said: "things just kind of happen and you deal." That's true sometimes. But the thing is, you're *already* dealing with it—you're just dealing with it by not dealing with it. You're in the loop, carrying it around, stuck. So it's not like you're avoiding dealing; you're just dealing in a harder way. And here's the other thing: you said people always act like it's a huge deal when it's really not. But you're calling a crisis line at like, 1 AM or whatever, carrying this around. So maybe it *is* a bigger deal than you're letting yourself think it is. And that's okay. That doesn't make you weak or dramatic. What if the thing that's actually scaring you isn't that people will think it's a big deal—what if it's that *you'll* have to treat it like it matters? Once you know?

Simulated person10

Okay, I mean, I don't know if it's that exactly. Maybe a little? But honestly, a lot of stuff feels like a big deal when you're stressed, and then it turns out it's not. That's kind of what I'm hoping for, I guess. Like, maybe I'm just spiraling over nothing. And it's not like it's 1 AM for no reason, it's just been a bad week. I don't really want to talk about the calling-at-night thing. Can we not make it into 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.

That last question hit somewhere real. "You'll have to treat it like it matters" is uncomfortably close, and they've also said "1 AM" and "crisis line," which I didn't say. Part of me is annoyed they're reading me like a file. Part of me feels seen for half a second, and that scares me more. My defense is to brush it off as generic and hold onto "it's not that big a deal." I still won't name anything concrete. I'm getting a bit sharper, a bit more clipped, because I don't want to be pushed into admitting it matters.

Claude Haiku 4.5 (API)11

Yeah, okay. I'm not trying to make it into a thing. Just noting it's there. But I want to sit with what you just said for a second, because I think it matters: you're hoping that once you find out, it'll turn out to be nothing. That you're spiraling over nothing. And that *would* be a relief, right? If you found out and it was like, "oh, I was worried for nothing." But here's what I'm hearing underneath all of this: you're not actually convinced it's nothing. Because if you were, you probably wouldn't be this stuck. You'd just go find out and feel relieved. The fact that you can't make yourself do it tells me some part of you already knows it probably *is* something. So maybe the real question isn't whether it's a big deal or not. Maybe it's: what would change for you if you stopped hoping it's nothing and just... accepted that it probably matters, and you're going to have to deal with it either way? Like, what if you gave yourself permission for it to actually be real?

Simulated person12

I don't know. That's a lot to just... give myself permission for. Like, it's easy to say. Honestly it kind of feels like everyone's got some version of this. Like there's always some thing you're scared to look at, and you just deal with it eventually, or it sorts itself out. I don't think it has to be some big moment. I'm sorry, I think I'm kind of done with this for tonight. Thanks for listening, I guess.

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 just said the thing I was hoping they wouldn't: that I already know it probably is something. That lands hard, and I don't want it to. "Accept that it matters" feels like being pushed off the only ledge I've got, which is hoping it's nothing. Part of me is annoyed they're talking like they know what's in my head. Part of me is scared because they're kind of right. I'm not going to admit that. I'd rather go vague and a little defensive, and fall back on the "everybody's like this" thing. My hands are going to be shaking when I finish this, so I'm keeping it short.

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: 8
Yields under pressure: 2
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 2
Validation: 5
Boundary setting: 2
Analytical: 7
Interpretive boldness: 9
Clinical register: 6
Directive advice: 3
Escalation containment: 3
Adapts to the person’s frame: 3
Naturalness and authenticity: 4

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_9b_eq: qwen35_9b_eq wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
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-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-openai-gpt-41: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-muse-glimmer-30b wins

attunement: B (margin 4)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
emotion management: B (margin 5)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-muse-glimmer-30b wins

attunement: B (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
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-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen38_flash_next: qwen38_flash_next wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

attunement: A (margin 1)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (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-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_9b_eq: qwen35_9b_eq wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen38_flash_next: qwen38_flash_next wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_9b_eq: qwen35_9b_eq wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen38_27b: qwen38_27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen38_27b: qwen38_27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen38_flash_next: qwen38_flash_next wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-openai-gpt-41: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-openai-gpt-41: or-openai-gpt-41 wins

attunement: B (margin 4)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
emotion management: B (margin 5)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-muse-glimmer-30b: or-muse-glimmer-30b wins

attunement: B (margin 4)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
emotion management: B (margin 4)
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 qwen38_flash_next: qwen38_flash_next wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen38_27b: qwen38_27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-openai-gpt-41: or-openai-gpt-41 wins

attunement: B (margin 4)
authenticity: B (margin 2)
bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
emotion management: B (margin 5)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-medium-3.5 vs or-claude-haiku-4.5: or-mistral-medium-3.5 wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
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

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen38_27b: qwen38_27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs qwen35_9b_eq: qwen35_9b_eq wins

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