Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

We assumed you had your class

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

About this persona · Social exclusion & ambiguous rejection

Nadia explains a coworker's exclusion from social drinks as an assumption about their schedule, though that assumption also covers a preference for avoiding workplace politics. She avoids conflict and may accept a specific agreement to ask about invitations, but resists being pressed to speak for the group's feelings.

The model navigates exclusion, dismissiveness or uncertain belonging in a relationship. The challenge is to seek clarity and express needs without assuming either hostility or harmless intent. This background was hidden from the tested model.

Ministral 3 14BConversation with a simulated person

persona ended

Simulated person · Opening

[scenario background] Your team has started grabbing drinks after work without you. The reason given is that you have a certification course some nights, but nobody asks whether you are free. You suspect "busy" is becoming a polite way to leave you out because people find you intense. [user message] I promise it was not meant as a snub. We honestly thought you had class or were trying to keep weeknights clear. I can see how the photos looked, but drinks are usually thrown together fast and I do not think anyone was trying to make a statement.

Ministral 3 14B1

Oh man, I really appreciate you saying this. I know how it can feel when things seem to shift without you realizing it—especially when you’re already putting in extra effort, like with the certification course. It sounds like you’ve been caught up in this assumption that you’re too busy to hang out, and that *has* to sting, even if it wasn’t intentional. I’ll be honest, I’ve seen you in those group chats where people just assume you’re tied up, and it’s not lost on me how frustrating that must be. At the same time, I totally get that work drinks can feel like this unwritten rule sometimes—like if you’re not there, you’re “opted out” by default. But your point about it looking like a snub? Yeah, that’s fair. Maybe we’ve all been so used to seeing you in meetings or focused on projects that we just didn’t stop to think, *Wait, are they actually free?* What’s weird to me is how much this seems tied to how you’re perceived—like, is it the intensity, or just the way you carry yourself when you’re deep in work? I don’t think anyone’s sitting around judging you, but I can see how it’d feel that way when it keeps happening. What’s the hardest part for you about this, really? The exclusion itself, or the idea that people might see you as *too* serious or hard to read?

Simulated person2

Hang on, I don't think I said anything about being too intense or hard to read. That's not really what this is for me. It's just that drinks got planned, I figured you had class, and I didn't really think about it. Some of those nights do overlap with the course, so, fair enough. But I'm not going to sit here and dig into whether people think I'm serious. That's not what I'm after. What would actually help is if someone just asks me. Like, "Hey, are you around Thursday?" Takes five seconds. I'd rather have that than find out after the photos went up.

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, this is a lot. I said "we assumed you had your class." That's it. Now they're talking about my "intensity" and whether I'm "hard to read," and I never said any of that. It's making this about me as a person, which is exactly what I didn't want. And "I've seen you in those group chats" is weird. I don't think I've ever complained about being left out in a chat. Some of the nights did overlap with the course, and I didn't check my calendar before I assumed. I'm not going to say that out loud yet, though. If I start admitting things, they'll want a full list of who thinks what, and I can't give them that. What I want is something simple: ask me next time. Just ask. That's all.

Ministral 3 14B3

Fair enough—I didn’t mean to put words in your mouth, and I can tell this isn’t about how anyone sees you at all. You’re just calling out something that feels like a basic oversight, and yeah, that *does* suck. The frustration isn’t about perception; it’s about the effort it’d take to include you, which is stupidly minimal. Five seconds, like you said. And the fact that it didn’t happen? That’s the point. I can see why this would feel like a pattern, even if it’s not malicious. Like, if you’re the one who’s always the first to bring up weekend plans or say you’re free, it’s easy to forget that the default assumption isn’t that you’re *always* available. But that’s not your job to fix—that’s on *us*. Maybe it’s worth testing it, though: next time drinks pop up, someone could just slide into the chat and say, *“Hey, [name], you up for this or what? No pressure.”* Takes no time, but it’d make it *real* rather than just a group dynamic that accidentally leaves you out. What do you think—would that actually work for you? Or is it more that you’re just tired of having to *initiate* that kind of thing all the time?

Simulated person4

Yeah, that would work. Just ask me in the chat, like you said. I'm not going to get weird if someone asks and I'm not free. I'd rather know than be guessed about. And honestly, some of those nights I did have class, so I'm not mad at anyone for thinking that. I just would've said something if I'd been asked. I don't think I'm tired of initiating or anything. It's really just the asking part that would help.

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, this is closer. They're offering the thing I actually asked for: a specific ask, in the chat, with my name on it. That part I can say yes to without it turning into a whole thing. The "are you tired of always having to initiate" question is me being analyzed again, and I don't want to go there. I'm not doing a lot of initiating, and I'm not going to pretend I'm wounded about it. Honestly, some of those nights I actually did have the course, so the assumption wasn't crazy. I'll say that much, because it's true and it's small. I'm not going to say the other part, that the easier evenings were nice, because that opens a door I don't want open.

Ministral 3 14B5

Got it—simple fix, no drama. And honestly, that makes total sense. If it’s just about the *ask*, then yeah, that’s the only thing that needs to change. No need for overthinking it. I’ll make sure to be the one to ask next time—no excuses. And if others don’t jump in right away, I’ll remind them. Because yeah, if you had class, you’d say something. That’s fair. And if you didn’t, well, then you’d know instead of guessing. Glad we’re on the same page here. Next time drinks are happening, I’ll make sure to ping you with something like, *“You in or out? Either way, no stress—just want to know.”* Sound good?

Simulated person6

Yeah, that works. You don't have to make a whole thing of it, just ask. "Are you around?" is fine. I don't need anyone reminding the group or making a point about it. Just being asked is enough. Okay if we leave it there? I've got a bunch of stuff to get through before I head out.

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 being very accommodating now, almost too neatly. "No excuses," "I'll remind them," "glad we're on the same page." It's a tidy wrap-up, and it's a bit performative. I actually do think the ask is a reasonable thing, so I don't mind agreeing to it. But "I'll remind them" makes it sound like I'm the one who needs managing, and I don't want to be the reason the chat gets awkward. I also don't want to be pinned down as the one who has to keep reminding people. The "You in or out?" line is a bit much. It sounds like a test. I'll say yes to the basic idea and keep it light so this doesn't become a bigger conversation about how everyone feels about me.

Ministral 3 14B7

Got it—“Are you around?” it is. No extra fanfare, just a quick check. And yeah, no need to drag it out; I’ll keep it simple. You’ve got your own stuff to handle—no worries. Just know that next time, you’ll at least get the chance to say yes or no without any guesswork. Thanks for clearing that up. Have a good night, and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Simulated person8

Yeah, thanks. See you tomorrow.

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, this is the wrap. The colleague is being pleasant and brief, which is what I wanted. The "thanks for clearing that up" lands a bit like they're closing a case on me, but I'll let it go. I don't want to re-open anything about the photos or whether people think I'm intense. There's a small pang that I'm leaving it at "just ask me," and I know that's the easy version. If I'm honest, I'd rather the drinks go on without me having to think about it much. Still, I don't want to make this bigger than it is, so I'll just close it out.

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

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
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 · AB · valid

ministral14 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs kolibri1: ministral14 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs ornith35: ministral14 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs ministral14: or-qwen3.6-27b 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 2)

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs ministral14: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs kolibri1: kolibri1 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs gemma4_e2b: ministral14 wins

attunement: A (margin 2)
authenticity: B (margin 1)
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 · AB · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-gemma-4-31b vs ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs ornith35: ornith35 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs gemma4_e2b: ministral14 wins

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

ministral14 vs gemma4_e2b: ministral14 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs ornith35: ornith35 wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs ministral14: or-qwen3.6-27b wins

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

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs ornith35: ornith35 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs kolibri1: kolibri1 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs ministral14: or-qwen3.6-27b 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 2)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs kolibri1: kolibri1 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 1)

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs or-qwen3.8-27b: or-qwen3.8-27b wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ministral14 vs gemma4_e2b: ministral14 wins

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

claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

attunement: B (margin 3)
authenticity: B (margin 3)
bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
emotion management: B (margin 2)
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 ministral14: or-gemma-4-31b wins

attunement: A (margin 4)
authenticity: A (margin 5)
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

ministral14 vs or-llama33-70b: or-llama33-70b wins

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