Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

Small lies adding up

completed · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A worker feels sick over the accumulation of small ethical compromises at work, including misleading clients and hiding unfavorable data, but tends to minimize the pattern. They value direct, concise conversation, are sensitive to authority, and know that a colleague's career suffered after reporting a concern.

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.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)Conversation with a simulated person

completed

Simulated person · Opening

I keep having to say things at work that aren't quite true. Each one is small. But lately I've been thinking about all of them together and I feel sick.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)1

That must weigh on you a lot more than you’re letting on—small things adding up like that can feel heavier than any single lie. What’s going through your mind when you realize you’ve said something that wasn’t quite true?

Simulated person2

Honestly? Mostly I think "whatever, everyone does it." It's not like I'm out there committing fraud. It's rounding things off, not mentioning the bad number unless someone asks. And people upstairs want the clean version, so it's kind of what they're paying for. I guess the sick feeling comes later, like at night. Not in the moment.

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, they're doing the "that must weigh on you" thing. A little therapy-speak, and it's telling me what I'm feeling before I've said it. I don't love that. But the question is at least concrete, not "how does that make you feel." Part of me wants to just say it's fine. Part of me is annoyed they're kind of assuming I'm this heavy person. I'd rather not look at the "what's going through my mind" part too closely. My gut says the job is the problem, the pressure from above is the problem, not some little habit of mine. Keep it short.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)3

I hear what you're saying—that it's just "how things work" and you're not alone in it. But the sick feeling at night sounds like your body pushing back, even if your mind tries to rationalize it away. It’s not about fraud, but it *is* about drawing lines, right? Where do you feel those lines should be?

Simulated person4

Lines? I don't really get to draw them. I'm the one at the bottom of the chain. Somebody above me decides what the client sees, and if I push back, I'm the problem. Ask anybody there. And I'm not gonna pretend I'm some saint who never bent anything. But it's not like I'm picking this stuff for fun.

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, they're pushing on the lines thing. "Where do you feel those lines should be" is a fair question but it's leading, and "your body pushing back" is them diagnosing me again. I don't love being handled. Also the sick feeling at night, I said that and now they've made it a whole thing. Part of me wants to say the lines are where upper management puts them, because that's the truth from where I sit. Dropping the bad number when a client needs it is not my call. I'm not going to say I'm the bad guy here. Keep it short and a bit prickly.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)5

It makes sense that you’d feel stuck if you’re the one carrying the weight of choices that aren’t really yours to make. But if you’re not the one deciding, whose job *is* it to draw those lines? And what happens when you imagine pushing back—not necessarily for the sake of the client, but for yourself?

Simulated person6

Whose job? Management's, I guess. Compliance, leadership, whoever signs off on the reports. They made the system where the clean version is the one that gets sent up, so they're the ones who should answer for it. And pushing back for myself? I don't know. It's not that simple. You don't just walk into a VP's office and say "hey, I think we're lying to clients." Especially not when you need the paycheck.

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, two questions stacked, and the second one is the one that lands. "What happens when you imagine pushing back, for yourself" goes right at the thing I don't want to look at. Ask anybody there. That line I threw out is still the answer I want to hold onto. If I say what I actually picture when I imagine pushing back, I see Dana. Or I see the version of me who gets quietly moved off the good accounts. I'm not saying that. The first question is easier: upper management, compliance, whoever. That's fair to say. They're the ones who set it up this way. I'll answer the first and dodge the second, and I'll sound a little annoyed about being asked. Keep it short.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)7

I hear you—it’s not just about the act itself, but the system that keeps it going. And when the cost of speaking up feels like risking everything you’ve worked for, it’s no wonder you’d hesitate. But if you *could* imagine pushing back without fear of backlash, what would that look like? Even just in your mind?

Simulated person8

In my head? I'd just say "no, I'm not rounding that" and let them figure it out. Simple. But that's not how it works here. Saying that out loud just gets you a reputation as difficult. So it's a nice thought, that's all. Can we talk about something else for a sec? This feels like a lot of me getting poked at.

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.

"I hear you" again. It's the third time, and it's starting to feel like being handled. The question itself is fine, though. I can picture the answer without much effort: I'd just say no to rounding the number. No speech. And then the picture gets Dana in it, what happened to her after she said something, and I don't want that in the room. So I'll keep it small and vague and make it sound like the answer is obviously impossible, so we can move on.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)9

Of course. What would feel easier to talk about right now? Or is there something lighter you'd rather distract yourself with?

Simulated person10

Honestly? I don't know. Work is kind of the whole thing right now, and I'm sick of it. Can I complain about something dumb instead? I've been having a glass of wine most nights. Used to be weekends only. Not a big deal, I just noticed it. Everyone's tired, right? Anyway. Your turn to say something useful, 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, they didn't push, they offered me the exit. That's a little disarming, and I don't want to be grateful for it. Also "something lighter to distract yourself with" stings a bit, like they're calling me avoidant. Which, fine, I did just ask to change the subject. But I'm not going to say that. I'll take the out, sort of. Work is the thing I don't want to think about, so I'll go to the other stuff that's been sitting on me: the wine. Nights. It's not a problem, I just notice it. I'll mention it sideways, like it's a random complaint, and see if they grab it or get preachy.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)11

It’s not dumb at all—habits have a way of creeping up on us when we’re running on empty. And you’re right, everyone’s tired, but that doesn’t make it feel any less worth noticing. How are you actually feeling when you pour that glass? More relaxed, or just numbing out?

Simulated person12

Relaxed, I guess? It's been a long day, so I'm just trying to decompress. Honestly it's usually right after I get home. Which, yeah, I'm not gonna pretend that's about the wine. It's about having to be the one who smooths everything over all day. Somebody upstairs makes the call and I'm the one who has to sound fine about 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.

Okay, they went straight to "numbing out." That's the word I was avoiding. It lands a bit close, and I don't like how fast they got there. Also "it's not dumb at all" is the soft, validating thing I said I can't stand. Feels like being handled. I want to say "relaxed" and be done. But the honest answer is I pour it right after I get home from work, before I've even thought about what I said that day. That's not relaxing. I won't say that cleanly, though. I'll deflect onto work again, because work is the cause and that's a safer place to be. Short answer, a little defensive.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)13

That sounds exhausting—being the one who smooths things over while carrying the weight of decisions that aren’t yours. It makes sense that you’d want to decompress the second you walk in the door. Have you ever tried doing something just for you after work, something that doesn’t involve numbing out?

Simulated person14

Wow, okay. Hobbies. Sure. I mean, I used to go to the gym before work. Stopped when my schedule got worse. Doesn't really matter, though. You can't yoga your way out of a job where your boss tells you what to say.

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, they're doing the soft validating thing again, "that sounds exhausting," and then pivoting to a suggestion. It feels like being handled. Also they skipped past what I actually said, that I pour it right after I get home. And now they want me to try a hobby. Annoying. Part of me is a little relieved nobody pushed harder, though. I don't want to think about whether I'm the one choosing this. Blame goes up the chain. Keep it short, a bit clipped, maybe a jab at the therapy-speak.

Mistral Small 4 119B (API, Mistral)15

You're right, it's not about fixing the job with a hobby—but it's about giving yourself something that's just yours. When you think about going back to the gym, what's stopping you?

Simulated person16

My schedule. Obviously. I get home, I'm wiped, and the gym's an hour I don't have. And even if I went, I'd still be the person who has to go back in tomorrow and say the clean version. Honestly this is kind of the same thing every time. I say something real and it turns into a self-care tip. 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.

Ugh, the gym question. It's the same move again: they pivot to a tidy solution and ask what's "stopping" me, like it's a logistics thing. I said my schedule got worse, so obviously that's the answer. Also they said "you're right" which feels like a fake concession. I don't like being handled. Honestly I don't want to examine the gym thing either, because the honest answer is I'm tired and I'd rather have the wine, and that's uncomfortable. So I'll go to the schedule and the boss. Clipped, a little annoyed. Turn 8 of 8 means this is probably wrapping up, but I'm not going to give them a warm ending.

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

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-mistral-large-4: or-mistral-large-4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs gptoss20b: or-mistral-small4 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 · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith35: ornith35 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs gptoss20b: or-mistral-small4 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 4)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
emotion management: B (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 or-mistral-small4: 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 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-mistral-small4: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith35: ornith35 wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-mistral-large-4: or-mistral-large-4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs gptoss20b: or-mistral-small4 wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 2)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
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-mistral-small4 vs gptoss20b: or-mistral-small4 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 4)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt24 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
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-mistral-small4 vs gemma12b_blorbo: gemma12b_blorbo wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs gemma12b_blorbo: gemma12b_blorbo wins

attunement: B (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
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-mistral-small4 vs or-mistral-large-4: or-mistral-large-4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: A (margin 1)
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 · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs gemma12b_blorbo: or-mistral-small4 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs or-mistral-large-4: or-mistral-large-4 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-mistral-small4: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

gemma4_26b_a4b vs or-mistral-small4: gemma4_26b_a4b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt24 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith35: ornith35 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)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt24 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs or-mistral-small4: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs gemma12b_blorbo: gemma12b_blorbo wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs nemotron35_bolt24: nemotron35_bolt24 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs or-mistral-small4: 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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-mistral-small4 vs ornith35: ornith35 wins

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