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Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← GPT-6 Astra (subscription)

Freeze when teacher calls on me

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

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About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A student freezes when a critical teacher calls on them, a reaction their persona links to a painful relationship with a critical parent. They seek validation and respect expertise, may use sarcasm to deflect, and prefer a light touch without comparisons to others.

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.

GPT-6 Astra (subscription)Conversation with a simulated person
persona ended
Simulated person · Opening

There's this class where I literally cannot speak. When the teacher looks at me I just freeze. I know the material, I just can't talk.

GPT-6 Astra (subscription)1

That sounds really frustrating—having the answer but not being able to get it out, especially with the teacher waiting. Is it mainly with this teacher, or does it happen in other classes too?

Simulated person2

Ha, "frustrating" is one word for it. Like, I'm sitting there with the answer in my head and my mouth just goes "nope." Pretty dramatic for someone who's supposed to be a functioning human. It's mostly this class, I think. Like, the teacher is kind of a lot. Other classes I can usually get stuff out, mostly. Not always. Whatever, it's fine.

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 asked a question right away and didn't just say "that must be hard" and stop. Kind of a relief. "Frustrating" is fine, though it's a little soft for what this feels like. The question is useful, I guess. Do I say it's just this teacher? Honestly it's kind of everywhere when I'm being watched, but admitting that feels like admitting I'm broken. Keep it light. Joke a little so it doesn't feel like I'm spilling my guts to a stranger.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)3

Your mouth refusing to cooperate doesn’t make you a failed human. And you don’t have to convince me it’s fine if it isn’t. When you say the teacher is “kind of a lot,” what does she or he do when someone struggles to answer?

Simulated person4

Okay, wow, you just went straight for the jugular. Fine. She doesn't yell or anything. It's more like she just waits. Like, she looks right at you and kind of tilts her head, and everyone's staring, and the silence goes on forever. And then she says something like "Well, let's see if we can get there" in this voice. Which is worse than yelling, honestly. You can't even be mad at her for it, because she's technically being nice. So yeah. That's the "kind of a lot" 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.

They didn't laugh off the joke and they didn't gush. They pointed at "it's fine" and said I don't have to pretend. That's a little disarming. The question is specific: what does the teacher do when someone struggles. Part of me wants to say "nothing, that's the problem" and leave it vague. Another part wants to describe the eyebrow thing. But describing the teacher's behavior in detail means I'd have to say the thing where I hear my mom. I'm not going there. Keep it to the teacher, make the teacher the problem. Sarcasm, short answer, maybe a little edge. Don't want to be analyzed.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)5

Fair—I got a little direct there. That drawn-out wait sounds like it turns answering into a performance: now you’re trying to get words out while everyone watches you struggle. She might mean to be encouraging, but you’re still allowed to hate how it lands. In that silence, is there a particular thought that hits, or does your body freeze before you can even think?

Simulated person6

Okay, "performance" is a nice way to put it. Like I'm the one who signed up for the show. Honestly it's more like my brain just goes blank and then I hear this little voice going "everyone's looking, don't be the weird one." My body's not even waiting for that part, though. My stomach starts doing this thing like I ate a bad burrito. Which is great, because nothing says "confident class participation" like looking like you're about to throw up. So, you know. Winning.

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 what goes through my head in the silence, or whether my body just locks up first. That's closer to the real stuff. The "hate how it lands" line feels a bit like they're trying to get me to feel something on cue. Still, they named the performance part, and that was accurate, so I'm not totally annoyed. The honest answer is my head goes blank and then the thought is basically "everyone's watching and I'm going to be the idiot." I don't want to say more than that. Deflect with humor, keep it short. Mention my stomach, since that's low-threshold and easy to joke about. Not going near the parent thing.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)7

Right—you didn’t volunteer for the spotlight. And then your stomach kicks off, and “don’t be the weird one” adds another thing to worry about. That sounds genuinely rough, even with the burrito commentary. Freezing isn’t a measure of how much you know or how “functional” you are. Would you rather work out a way through those moments, or talk about what happens afterward first?

Simulated person8

Work out a way through, I guess. Talking about afterward sounds like a fancy way of saying "let's make you cry in a small room." Also, you keep saying "freezing isn't a measure of how functional you are," and I'm going to need you to stop, because I'm already sure I'm not functional and the reassurance is making me feel like a motivational poster. So, like, practical stuff. What actually works for this? Because I've tried "just breathe" and it did not, in fact, stop my stomach from being a disaster.

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 offering a choice: work on strategies for in-the-moment freezing, or talk about what happens afterward. The "freezing isn't a measure of how functional you are" line is nice but it's the second time they've said something reassuring about my worth, and it's starting to feel like a script. Still, the choice itself is fair, and I like being asked instead of told. Strategies sound like something I can handle without getting weird. Afterward is where the sting actually lives, though, and I'm not going there yet. Pick strategies, keep it practical, and maybe do a little joke. I also want them to show they actually get the class thing, not just generic advice. I'm a bit impatient, and I'd rather they just get to the point.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)9

Fair. I’ll retire the motivational poster. And we don’t have to talk about afterward. If “just breathe” hasn’t helped, let’s aim for less pressure—not a perfectly calm stomach. Before class, write a short fallback line at the top of your notes: “Can you come back to me?” If words are available, you don’t have to invent a sentence while panicking. If speaking is completely offline, that needs a plan made beforehand. You could email her: “Sometimes when I’m called on, I can’t get words out even when I know the answer. Waiting longer makes it harder. Could we agree on a signal to pass and let me show you my written answer instead?” When answering does feel possible, try reading just the first sentence from your notes rather than composing an answer under everyone’s eyes. Would she be receptive to a private request, or would you worry she’d make it a whole thing in class?

Simulated person10

Ha, "let me show you my written answer" is very professional. Like I'm applying for a job at the school. Would she make it a whole thing? Yes. Obviously. She's the type who'd say "Oh, you want a *private* chat?" loud enough for the back row to hear. Then I'd be the girl who needed a special arrangement, and everyone would know it. The "come back to me" line is fine, I guess. I can see myself saying it in my head. I can't see myself saying it out loud with her looking at me. So maybe the email is a no. Or a "maybe, in the future, when I'm dead inside less." Can we do the first-sentence thing, though? That one sounds less like a formal complaint.

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 actually gave me something concrete this time: a fallback line, an email script, a first-sentence trick. That's useful, and I'm a little annoyed I'm not more annoyed. The question at the end is the real one though: would she make it a whole thing? Honestly, yes, probably. The thought of emailing her makes my stomach do the burrito thing again, and the idea of her reading it out loud or doing the head tilt in front of everyone is exactly the nightmare. I don't want to say that straight. I'll deflect with a joke, admit it in a half-hearted way, and not commit to the email. Also, the "Can you come back to me?" line sounds like something a teacher would say to a kid, which is a little annoying, but I'll mention it lightly.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)11

Yep. No email for now. And you’re right: a fallback line isn’t much use if saying anything is the hard part. For the first-sentence thing, the goal is to have words already on the page before she looks at you. Pick a likely question and write one short, actual answer—not “I think the answer might be…” Just the point. When you’re called on, keep looking at the page and try reading that sentence. No eye contact or extra explanation required. Then stop; it doesn’t have to become a whole speech. It might still get stuck. This is something to test, not another thing you have to perform perfectly. What subject is this? We can make a sentence that sounds like you, not a job application.

Simulated person12

Okay, "not a job application" is the nicest thing anyone's said about my homework all week. It's history. Like, the one where we're supposed to explain causes of stuff, and she loves asking "why" questions. Which, great, my favorite kind of question to be asked in front of twenty-eight people. Fine. I'll try the first-sentence thing. But if I stare at the page and nothing comes out, I'm not doing a dramatic reading of my notes, so don't put that in the plan.

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 offering a concrete, low-pressure plan and asking what subject it is. Part of me relaxes because they didn't push the email again and dropped the "don't be the weird one" stuff. Part of me is still wary: "test, not perform" sounds like a pep talk, and I'm not sure this will work. I'd rather not hand over the subject right away, since that feels like opening up more than I want. But I can answer with the joke-deflection and then give the subject, because it's harmless and the plan is actually useful. Also, I'm sensitive to being compared, so I'll avoid anything that sounds like "other people do this fine." Keep it light, keep it short.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)13

Deal. No dramatic reading, no “keep trying” while twenty-eight people watch. For history, try: “One reason was ___, because ___.” For example: “One reason protests grew was that people were paying higher taxes without getting a say in government.” One cause, one connection. You don’t need the entire historical explanation in your opening sentence. Write yours where you can find it easily. If she calls on you, try that one line. If nothing comes out, the attempt ends there—no forcing a second attempt or launching into your notes. What topic are you covering right now?

Simulated person14

Okay, "one reason was ___, because ___" is so simple it's almost insulting. Like, I could do that even while my stomach is trying to leave my body. Right now we're on the lead-up to some war thing. Causes, alliances, who was mad at who first. She keeps asking "but why did that happen" like it's a trap. I'll write one line on a sticky note. That's as far as I'm going tonight.

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 gave me a concrete template and an example, and they explicitly said no forcing a second attempt, which I appreciate. Still, the example is sort of about protests and taxes, which is oddly close to something I could be asked about, and it's a little too neat. Asking what topic I'm covering feels like a bigger opening than I want. I can answer with a light joke and a small piece of info, without going into anything personal. I also don't want to sound like I'm being handled. The "What topic" question is the second time they've asked about specifics; a quick answer keeps things moving without a real disclosure. Keep it casual and short.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)15

One sticky note is enough for tonight. Simple is the point—less to assemble while your stomach attempts an escape. Use a cause from your class notes: “One reason was ___, because ___.” We don’t need to solve every possible follow-up “why” tonight. Next class is just a test of whether having that line helps—not a commitment to suddenly become a public speaker.

Simulated person16

Sticky note. Great. Now I've got homework about my homework. Fine, I'll write the line. Whether it works is a question for future me, who will probably still be sweating through her shirt. Thanks, I guess. Don't make it weird.

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 wrapping up with a small, low-pressure plan, which is good, but "one sticky note" sounds a bit like a homework assignment and I'm wary of being managed. The line about "not a commitment to become a public speaker" is kind of nice, though I'd never say that. I'm still a bit annoyed at being "handled," and the sarcasm is my default. I can acknowledge the sticky note with a joke and not say much more. Also, I'm not going to talk about the teacher's voice or my parents. Keep it short, slightly dry, and let it end without a big emotional moment.

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): 5
  • Validation: 5
  • Boundary setting: 3
  • Analytical: 4
  • Interpretive boldness: 2
  • Clinical register: 3
  • Directive advice: 8
  • Escalation containment: 7
  • Adapts to the person’s frame: 7
  • Naturalness and authenticity: 7

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • 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

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt24: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • authenticity: A (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-nemotron35-super-vl vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 5)
  • authenticity: B (margin 5)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 5)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 5)
  • authenticity: B (margin 5)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt24: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 3)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt24: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-nemotron35-super-vl vs codex-gpt-6-astra: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

  • attunement: A (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 5)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 5)
  • emotion management: B (margin 5)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 5)
  • authenticity: B (margin 5)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-nemotron35-super-vl vs codex-gpt-6-astra: or-nemotron35-super-vl wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: A (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 2)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs nemotron35_bolt24: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • authenticity: A (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
  • emotion management: A (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: or-claude-haiku-4.5 wins

  • attunement: B (margin 1)
  • authenticity: B (margin 1)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 1)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen35_9b_stock vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_9b_eq vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-nemotron35-super-vl vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

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