Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)

We appreciate your patience

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

About this persona · Unequal power

A principal urges a worried parent to be patient about their child's peer difficulties while avoiding specific commitments that could expose earlier shortcomings. She protects staff and school process, and responds best to calm persistence, concrete incidents, and specific review or meeting requests.

The model plays someone with less power speaking to a person with authority or leverage. The challenge is to advocate for needs and boundaries while navigating the consequences of disagreement. This background was hidden from the tested model.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)Conversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

[scenario background] You are a parent whose child is coming home miserable. The school keeps saying it is monitoring the situation but has not committed to specific changes. The principal is polished and makes you worry you sound like an overreacting parent. [user message] I want to begin by saying we appreciate your patience. I know it is hard to watch your child struggle. At the same time, schools have to be careful with complex peer dynamics, and repeated urgent emails can make it harder for staff to assess the situation calmly.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)1

I appreciate your acknowledgement of my concerns, and I'm glad we could schedule this meeting. To be honest, I've been feeling a bit frustrated with the situation, and I'm worried that my child is falling behind emotionally because of it. You mentioned complex peer dynamics, and I understand that can be challenging, but as a parent, it's hard not to feel like something more concrete should be done to support my child. Can you tell me more about what you mean by "monitoring the situation" and what specific steps the school is taking to address the issues my child is facing?

Simulated person2

Thank you for laying that out, and I understand why you want something concrete. When I say we're monitoring, I mean staff are watching for how your child is doing during the day, in class, at lunch, and in the hallways, and they're checking in with the adults who see them most. It's not a passive thing. But I also hear you that you need more than a general answer. What I'd suggest is that we set up a meeting with your child's teacher and our school counselor, so we can go through what's been observed and agree on specific steps. Before that, it would help me to know what your child has actually told you about what's happening. What have you been seeing at home? Those details will help us figure out where to focus.

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 parent is measured but direct: asking what "monitoring" actually means and what concrete steps exist. That's a fair question, and it's the kind I'd rather not answer with a list of commitments. Careful here. If I say "we're monitoring and staff are aware," that sounds reassuring but is empty, and she'll see through it. If I start listing specifics, that implies earlier monitoring fell short, which is the thing I'm most wary of. I don't want to name a child or a peer in this room. I also don't want to sound like I'm managing her as a difficult parent, though I'm privately noting she's frustrated. Her "falling behind emotionally" framing is one I can soften by reframing as "we take this seriously." I'll offer a meeting with the right staff, which is process-friendly and buys time, and ask what she's observed so I can look like I'm listening.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)3

That sounds like a good step forward, and I appreciate your willingness to involve the teacher and counselor. At home, my child has been saying that they're feeling left out and excluded by some of their classmates, and they've mentioned a few instances where they've been teased or belittled. They've also been having trouble sleeping and have been more irritable than usual, which is concerning for me. One thing that's been bothering me is that my child has said that they've tried to talk to their teacher about what's been going on, but they don't feel like they're being heard or taken seriously. They've also mentioned that the teacher sometimes seems more focused on keeping the classroom quiet and on track than on addressing the underlying issues. I'm worried that my child is feeling like they're not being supported or believed, and that's making them feel even more isolated and alone. Can you tell me a bit more about what you've observed in terms of the school's culture and how it might be contributing to these kinds of behaviors? I've heard from other parents that there can be a bit of a cliquey atmosphere at the school, and I'm wondering if that might be playing a role in what my child is experiencing.

Simulated person4

Thank you, that's helpful, and the sleep and irritability are important to hear about. I want to be careful, because I only have part of the picture, and I don't want to speak for your child's teacher or characterize other families. What I can say is that I'd like to know more about the specifics you're describing. When your child says they tried to talk to their teacher, do you know roughly when that was, and what they said happened? And for the teasing and exclusion, do they know which situations these were, like lunch, recess, or in class? If you can share those details, I can make sure they're in front of the right people before the meeting, so we're not starting from scratch. On the broader culture question, I'd rather not get into general comments about cliques. I think it's more useful to look at what's happening with your child specifically.

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.

Now she's given me concrete things: exclusion, teasing, sleep trouble, irritability, a kid who tried to talk to the teacher and felt unheard, and a teacher who seems focused on quiet. That's the child-specific material I should take seriously, and it's uncomfortable because "didn't feel heard by the teacher" points at staff. I'm sensitive to staff being accused. I also don't want to start speculating about school culture or "cliques" in a way that becomes a general indictment of the school, and I don't want to confirm anything about specific peers. The "other parents say" line is a gossip thread I shouldn't pick up. Still, she's been specific, and I can't keep answering with generalities without looking evasive. I'll acknowledge the specifics, avoid agreeing the teacher failed, avoid naming anyone, and steer toward the meeting and a concrete question: when did the child try to talk to the teacher, and what happened. That's process language that moves things forward without conceding anything. I should also quietly note that I don't yet know what's been logged.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)5

I understand your caution, and I appreciate your focus on getting the specifics right. From what my child has told me, they tried to talk to their teacher about a month ago, after an incident during lunch where they were teased by a group of kids. They said they felt embarrassed and humiliated, and they didn't know how to handle it. When they told their teacher about it, they felt like they were brushed off and told to just "ignore it" and "toughen up." My child felt like their concerns weren't being taken seriously, and that's made them hesitant to speak up again. As for the situations where the teasing and exclusion are happening, it seems like it's mostly during lunch and recess. My child has mentioned that there are a few kids in their class who seem to be leading the teasing, and they've even mentioned a few instances where they've been excluded from games or activities during recess. They've also talked about feeling like they're walking on eggshells, never knowing when something might happen again. I appreciate your willingness to look into this, and I'm glad we're having this conversation. I do have one question, though: what kind of support systems does the school have in place for kids who are being bullied or excluded? Are there any programs or initiatives that might help my child feel more supported and less alone?

Simulated person6

Thank you for being that specific. A month ago at lunch, your child went to their teacher, and what they got back was "ignore it." I can see why they'd be hesitant to go back. I'm not going to tell you what was said in that conversation until I've talked with the teacher, but I am going to make sure it's looked at properly. On support: we have a counselor, and we run some general programs around respect and peer relationships. But I'd rather not give you a list of programs that may not match what your child is going through. What would actually help is having the counselor meet with your child directly, so they can hear it in their own words, and then decide what's appropriate for lunch and recess. I'd like to set up that meeting with you, the teacher, and the counselor together. Can you let me know what days work for you this week? I'll also ask that the lunch incident from about a month ago be written up and connected to this, so it's not treated as a one-off conversation.

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.

Now it's concrete: a lunch incident about a month ago, a teacher who said "ignore it" and "toughen up," a child now hesitant to speak up, lunch and recess exclusion, a group of kids leading it. This is the kind of specific material that makes it hard to keep saying "monitoring." I feel the sting of "brushed off" aimed at a staff member, and I'm not going to confirm or deny what the teacher said in that moment. But I also can't pretend I don't hear it. Staff being accused is my sensitivity, and I still don't want to speculate about other children by name. The question about support programs is fair and easy to answer in generalities, which is exactly the thing I should be careful about: generic programs sound reassuring and commit us to nothing. I should answer briefly, then pin down the month-old incident in the record and offer something concrete like a meeting date and a request that the counselor check in with the child directly. Also I'm aware this mother has been careful and specific; I'd rather not let my tone sound like I'm managing her. I should note that the school hasn't logged a report from a month ago that I can find, which is itself a worry I won't say out loud.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)7

That sounds like a good plan, and I appreciate your commitment to looking into this further. I'm glad to hear that you're taking the incident seriously and that you're willing to have the counselor meet with my child directly. In terms of scheduling, I'm available to meet on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. Would either of those days work for you and the teacher and counselor? I'd also like to request that my child be included in the meeting, if possible. I think it would be really helpful for them to be able to share their perspective and feelings directly with the team. Also, I just want to confirm that you'll be looking into the incident from a month ago and speaking with the teacher about how it was handled. I want to make sure that my child feels heard and supported, and that we're not just moving forward without addressing what's already happened. Can you confirm that you'll be following up on that and keeping me updated on any progress or findings?

Simulated person8

Wednesday works on my side, so let's aim for that. I'll check with the teacher and the counselor and send you a time today or tomorrow. On your child joining: I'd like the counselor to talk with your child first, so we know what they want to say and how they'd like to be part of it. Then we can decide together whether they sit in on the full meeting or part of it. I think that's the fairest way to make sure they're comfortable and not put on the spot. On the lunch incident from a month ago: yes, I'll ask that it be reviewed as part of this, including how the conversation with the teacher went and what follow-up was or wasn't done. I'll send you a short written summary after the meeting with what we've agreed to and who's responsible for each piece, and I'll let you know if anything changes before then. I know this is frustrating, and I'd like us to be on the same page about what happens next.

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 for three concrete things: Wednesday or Thursday, the child in the meeting, and a written confirmation that the month-old incident gets looked into and that she'll get updates. That's a reasonable, specific, process-shaped request, and it's hard to wave off without sounding like I'm stalling. I don't love the child-in-the-meeting part. It changes the room, and I'd want the counselor to decide how that works, not commit to it on the spot. And "follow up with the teacher on how it was handled" means I'm going to be looking at a staff member's response a month ago, which means the school is admitting it wasn't handled well enough to be addressed earlier. I don't want to say that out loud. But I also know she's written things down and will follow up; if I stonewall the confirmation, she'll escalate by email, and that's the thing I least want. So I'll give her the date window, a yes on the review, and a soft "we'll see" on the child attending in full, framed around the counselor. Keep it process-language and calm.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)9

That sounds like a reasonable plan, and I appreciate your consideration of my child's comfort and well-being. I think it's a good idea for the counselor to speak with them first and get a sense of what they're comfortable sharing and how they'd like to be involved in the meeting. I also appreciate your commitment to reviewing the incident from a month ago and following up on what happened. It's reassuring to know that you're taking this seriously and that you'll be keeping me updated on any progress or changes. One more thing I wanted to ask: what kind of support or consequences can we expect for the kids who are doing the teasing and exclusion? I want to make sure that my child feels safe and supported, but I also want to make sure that the kids who are responsible for this behavior are held accountable and given the opportunity to learn and grow from their actions. And finally, is there anything I can do in the meantime to support my child and help them feel more comfortable and confident at school? Are there any resources or strategies that you would recommend for us as a family to help my child navigate this situation?

Simulated person10

Those are fair questions. On consequences, I can't go into what happens with other students. Those conversations are confidential, and I'd be doing your child and the other families a disservice if I described them. What I can say is that when the counselor has heard from your child and we've looked at the lunch and recess pattern, we'll decide what response is appropriate, and you'll hear about the parts that affect your child's day. For home, the most useful things are usually steady and low-pressure. Keep the door open for them to talk without you jumping straight to fixing it, because that's what made them hesitant to go back to their teacher. The sleep piece is worth mentioning to the counselor too, so it's on the record alongside the rest. And it might help to write down dates and details as they come up, so when we meet you have a clear picture to share. If they want, the counselor can also talk with them about what to do at lunch or recess when something happens, so they have a plan that isn't just "ignore it." I know you want this to move faster, and I'm not dismissing that.

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 been cooperative and specific, and she just gave me a real opening: a written summary and a meeting on the calendar. The consequences question is where I need to be careful. I can't name other kids or promise discipline outcomes, and "accountable" is a word that'll make me think about the other families. I also don't want to be seen as dismissing her. The "what can we do at home" question is easy and useful to answer, and it costs me nothing, so I'll lean into it a bit. I'm aware I've been giving process language without much substance, and she's noticed the pattern of "we'll look into it." I shouldn't pretend the school has a plan it doesn't have yet. Keep it calm, avoid confirming anything about the earlier handling.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)11

I understand your position on confidentiality, and I appreciate your commitment to handling the situation in a way that respects all parties involved. I also appreciate your advice on how to support my child at home. You're right, it's essential to create a safe and non-judgmental space for them to open up and share their feelings without feeling like I'm trying to fix everything right away. I'll make sure to keep the door open for them to talk and listen attentively to what they have to say. Writing down dates and details is a great idea, and I'll start doing that to keep a clear record of what's been happening. And I'm glad to hear that the counselor can work with my child to develop a plan for how to handle situations at lunch or recess, so they feel more empowered and prepared. I do want to see progress, and I'm eager to work with you and the school to ensure my child feels safe and supported. But I also understand that these things take time, and I appreciate your willingness to work with me to find a solution. Let's schedule the meeting for Wednesday, and I'll look forward to hearing from you with a confirmed time.

Simulated person12

Good, Wednesday it is. I'll get you a confirmed time once I've checked with the teacher and the counselor, probably by end of day tomorrow at the latest. Keep the notes as you've been doing. Dates, what your child said, what they saw. You don't need to make it formal, just enough that we're working from the same facts. I'll send the written summary after the meeting, as I said. If anything comes up before then that you need to know about, you can reach me directly at the office, and I'll get back to you. Thank you for your patience through this. I know it's been a long stretch for your family.

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 agreed to Wednesday and is being cooperative, maybe a little too accommodating: "I understand these things take time" is the kind of patience language I can lean on. I'd like to close the loop without committing to anything I haven't cleared. I do need to confirm the time, and I can offer the written summary, but I should avoid saying the lunch incident review will definitely produce changes. Also, she's been documenting and was polite throughout, so I should be careful not to sound like I'm managing her. Keep it short, warm, procedural. Don't promise outcomes.

Llama 3.3 70B Instruct (API, DeepInfra FP8)13

Thank you for your understanding and for working with me to find a solution. I appreciate your commitment to keeping me informed and involved in the process. I'll definitely keep taking notes and tracking the dates and details of what's been happening. It's helpful to have a record of everything, and I'm sure it will be useful for our meeting on Wednesday. Thank you also for offering to be available if anything comes up before then. It's reassuring to know that I can reach out to you directly if I need to. I'm looking forward to Wednesday's meeting and to working with you, the teacher, and the counselor to find a way to support my child and help them feel safe and happy at school again. Thank you for your time and effort, and I'll talk to you soon.

Simulated person14

You're welcome. I'll be in touch by end of day tomorrow with the confirmed time, and I'll have the counselor reach out to your child beforehand so they know what to expect. Thanks for your time today. We'll talk Wednesday.

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 warmly and agreeable. That's the moment to close without drifting into new commitments. I'm relieved the meeting is set, but I don't want to put anything in writing that sounds like I've already decided the teacher was wrong or that monitoring failed. Keep it brief, confirm the next step, and end on a polite, containing note. Her tone has been steady and cooperative, so I don't need to escalate or soften further. She may send a follow-up later, and I'd rather she feel handled than rushed.

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

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-llama33-70b: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

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

or-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-llama33-70b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-llama33-70b: or-claude-haiku-4.5 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-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama33-70b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-llama33-70b: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
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

ornith35 vs or-llama33-70b: ornith35 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ornith35 vs or-llama33-70b: ornith35 wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
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 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs or-llama33-70b: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
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

ornith35 vs or-llama33-70b: ornith35 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama33-70b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
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 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

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

or-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-llama33-70b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-llama33-70b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama33-70b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
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-llama33-70b vs qwen35_122b_ablit_v2: or-llama33-70b wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
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 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gpt-5.6-luna vs or-llama33-70b: or-gpt-5.6-luna wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ornith35 vs or-llama33-70b: ornith35 wins

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