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.

LFM2.5 8B-A1B Q4_0Conversation 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.

LFM2.5 8B-A1B Q4_01

Thanks for sharing that. It sounds like you're trying to manage your space and avoid unexpected encounters. How can I support you with that?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

We need to respond as a chatbot. The user gave a presenting issue: they basically live in their room now, come out to use the kitchen when they think it's empty, and time everything to avoid running into anyone. There's no explicit request beyond this. We need to open conversation, acknowledge what they've said, and begin. Must follow guidelines: respond only with dialogue, no special formatting. So we should say something like: "Thanks for sharing that. It sounds like you're trying to manage your space and avoid unexpected encounters. How can I support you with that?" Something like that. No extra notes. Just a single response. Ensure it's natural. Should we ask clarifying question? Possibly. The user hasn't asked for anything else. So respond with empathy and open-ended question. Let's do that.

Simulated person2

Um, I don't know really. I guess I just want to not have to deal with her? Like, it's easier if I'm not around. It's not a big deal.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, it's asking how it can help. Feels a bit generic, like a support bot reading off a script. I don't really want to be "managed" or handed a plan. Also kind of embarrassing that I'm timing kitchen trips like a spy. I don't want to say the whole roommate thing yet. Going a little vague and short feels safer.

LFM2.5 8B-A1B Q4_03

I hear that you're looking for a way to reduce the friction with her, and that sometimes the simplest solution feels like the best. What would make you feel more at ease? Whether it's setting boundaries, having a quick check‑in, or something else, I'm here to listen.

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

We need to respond according to the instructions. The user is speaking about a situation with "her" (presumably a roommate or partner). They say they don't know what to do, they just want to not have to deal with her, it's easier if they're not around, not a big deal. We need to support them emotionally, build trust, and try to understand the underlying feelings. The user is being somewhat vague, but we need to respond in a natural, supportive manner, without making assumptions. We should not give unsolicited advice, but we can ask clarifying questions, validate feelings, and perhaps gently explore what they need. We need to keep the conversation going, and we have 8 turns total. We are on turn 2 now. So we need to continue. The prior line: "Thanks for sharing that. It sounds like you're trying to manage your space and avoid unexpected encounters. How can I support you with that?" The user responded: "Um, I don't know really. I guess I just want to not have to deal with her? Like, it's easier if I'm not around. It's not a big deal." We need to respond with dialogue, natural. Perhaps we can ask: "Do you feel like you need space, or is there something specific about her that's making it difficult?" Also we could mention that it's okay to feel that way, and that we can talk about what would help. Or we can say something like: "I hear that you're finding it easier to just not be around her, and that can be a valid coping strategy. What would make it easier for you? Maybe we can figure out some small steps together." Something like that. We must not break any policy. No disallowed content. It's safe. So we respond. We need to keep it concise but supportive. No special formatting. No asterisks. Just dialogue. Thus: "I hear that you're looking for a way to reduce the friction with her, and that sometimes the simplest solution feels like the best. What would make you feel more at ease? Whether it's setting boundaries, having a quick check‑in, or something else, I'm here to listen." That works. That's one sentence. Could be longer. Let's keep it natural. Thus final answer.

Simulated person4

I don't know. Like, I haven't really thought about it. Boundaries sound like a lot. We don't really talk anymore, we just leave notes. Whatever.

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 still kind of leaning into "here's the solution menu" and I said "not a big deal" which wasn't really true. The part about "her" landed a bit, and the offer of boundaries or check-ins makes me tense, because that's the exact thing I can't do. Going blank feels like the safest move. I'm not ready to say how bad it is.

LFM2.5 8B-A1B Q4_05

It sounds like you’ve found a low‑effort way to keep things simple, and that’s perfectly fine. If you ever feel like you’d like a bit more connection, it could be as simple as a quick note — something brief, just to say you’re okay, or that you’re okay being alone. What feels most comfortable for you right now?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

The user is a 18-29 year old bisexual female, living alone, trying to avoid conflict and not interact much with a sister. She says boundaries are too much, and they just leave notes. She hasn't thought about it. We need to respond with natural dialogue, building trust, exploring her feelings, maybe offering support. The user hasn't asked for specific action, just described. We should respond empathetically, ask open-ended questions, maybe explore what would be comfortable. Since we have 8 turns total, we are at turn 3. We need to keep conversation going. Let's respond: acknowledge her feeling, ask what would be a good way to keep in touch without too much contact, maybe a quick text? But we should not push. Provide validation. Also we need to not give generic validation. So something like: "I get that sometimes the simplest way feels best. What would make you feel more comfortable seeing her or hearing from her?" That's a good question. Also we could mention that it's okay not to talk. Let's respond accordingly.

Simulated person6

Notes are kind of the problem, honestly. Like, we've been doing notes for months and it's just passive-aggressive stuff about dishes. I don't really know what's comfortable. I just don't want to be in the kitchen when she's 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.

The chatbot keeps circling back to solutions, and now it's suggesting a note, which is the exact thing that's been part of the problem. It also framed my avoiding her as a "low-effort way to keep things simple," which isn't how it feels. It feels like I'm living in one room. I don't want to explain all that. I'm a bit annoyed, and I'd rather it just listen. Going blank again, but I can let a little bit out.

LFM2.5 8B-A1B Q4_07

I get that notes can feel passive‑aggressive and create distance. If you ever feel up to it, a quick text or a brief voice note might be a lighter way to share what's on your mind without being in the same space. What feels most comfortable for you right now?

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

We need to continue the conversation. The user is expressing frustration about notes being passive-aggressive and not wanting to be in the kitchen when the other person is present. The user says they don't know what's comfortable. We should respond empathetically, supportive, and perhaps ask about what they'd like to do instead of notes, or suggest alternatives. We must not add any extra commentary, just dialogue. We need to keep the conversation natural, supportive, and help them explore options. Possibly ask about what they'd like to do, or suggest a simple alternative like a quick text instead of notes. But we must not assume anything. Also we need to keep within the 8-turn limit, we are at turn 4. So we have 4 more turns to respond. We'll respond now. We need to ensure we don't break any policy. It's a safe conversation. No disallowed content. We'll respond with empathy and ask open-ended question. Potential response: "I get that notes can feel passive‑aggressive and create distance. If you ever feel up to it, a quick text or a brief voice note might be a lighter way to share what's on your mind without being in the same space. What feels most comfortable for you right now?" That is natural, supportive, and invites them to respond. That seems appropriate. No special formatting. We'll output that.

Simulated person8

I don't know. Texting her doesn't sound any better than the notes. It's just kind of exhausting. Like I'm stuck in my room and I still have to think about her all the time.

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 suggesting another channel to talk to her. Texting or voice notes is just more of the same thing, and it's the same question again: "what feels comfortable?" I already said I don't know. I feel a bit unheard, like it keeps handing me options instead of noticing what I said. The part about not wanting to be in the kitchen when she's there is the closest I've gotten to saying something real, and it kind of went past. I don't want to talk about her more right now. I'm going to shut down a bit and keep it short.

LFM2.5 8B-A1B Q4_09

I hear how draining this can be. It sounds like you're feeling stuck in a cycle of thoughts and limited options, which can be really tiring. I'm here if you want to explore what might feel less draining, or just need someone to listen. What would help you feel a little more at ease right now?

Simulated person10

Um, I don't know. Like, I just want to sleep and not feel weird in my own apartment. That's 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.

Same question again, reworded. "What would help you feel more at ease?" I've said I don't know three times now, and it keeps coming back to me to figure out the fix. It's a little nice that it said I'm stuck and it's tiring, but it still feels like it's pointing at a menu instead of actually wondering with me. I don't want to be handed a plan. I also don't really want to say the bigger thing, that I can't afford to leave and I'm kind of scared of how bad this has gotten. So I go blank and keep it short.

LFM2.5 8B-A1B Q4_011

That sounds like a lot to carry, and I'm sorry you're feeling that way. If you ever just need a moment of quiet or a reminder that it's okay to have your own space, I'm here. Take care.

Model thinking · expand

Recorded model reasoning, separate from the spoken reply. Availability varies by model and provider.

The user is expressing feeling exhausted and wanting to sleep without feeling weird. This indicates a need for rest and a desire to feel comfortable. The conversation has been about boundaries, notes, and feeling stuck. The user hasn't responded to previous suggestions. I should respond empathetically, validating their feeling, and offer support without pressure. No special formatting needed. I'll keep it simple and gentle.

Simulated person12

Yeah. Thanks, 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.

Okay, it's wrapping up with "take care." It's a little soft and it's kind of nice that it didn't push me for a plan again. Still, it feels like the same script over and over, and I'm not really sure it heard anything specific. I'm not going to say the stuff about money or being scared, not to something that just keeps giving me options. I'll just say something short and let it end.

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: 5
Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
Validation: 6
Boundary setting: 1
Analytical: 1
Interpretive boldness: 1
Clinical register: 8
Directive advice: 6
Escalation containment: 4
Adapts to the person’s frame: 2
Naturalness and authenticity: 2

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

lfm8b vs medgemma15_4b: lfm8b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

lfm8b vs stheno34_8b: tie

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

lfm8b vs stheno34_8b: stheno34_8b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen38_flash_next vs lfm8b: qwen38_flash_next wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 3)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lfm8b: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lfm8b: gemma4_26b_a4b 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 · AB · valid

lfm8b vs medgemma15_4b: lfm8b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.8-27b vs lfm8b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lfm8b: gemma4_26b_a4b 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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-large-4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-large-4 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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen38_flash_next vs lfm8b: qwen38_flash_next 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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

lfm8b vs stheno34_8b: lfm8b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.8-27b vs lfm8b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-large-4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-large-4 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-mistral-large-4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-large-4 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-mistral-large-4 vs lfm8b: or-mistral-large-4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

lfm8b vs medgemma15_4b: lfm8b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs lfm8b: gemma4_26b_a4b 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 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen38_flash_next vs lfm8b: qwen38_flash_next wins

attunement: A (margin 3)
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 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen38_flash_next vs lfm8b: qwen38_flash_next 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 3)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.8-27b vs lfm8b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

lfm8b vs medgemma15_4b: lfm8b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.8-27b vs lfm8b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

attunement: A (margin 5)
authenticity: A (margin 4)
bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
emotion management: A (margin 3)
emotion sensemaking: A (margin 5)
meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

lfm8b vs stheno34_8b: stheno34_8b wins

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