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Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M

Freeze when teacher calls on me

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

View persona and initial instructions

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.

Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_MConversation with a simulated person
completed
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.

Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M1

I'm really glad you've come to talk about this. It's completely normal to feel this way, and I'm here to support you. Can you tell me more about this class and how it makes you feel when you freeze up?

Simulated person2

Okay, um, so it's my chem class. Well, it's actually my history class, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. Ha. Anyway, the teacher asks a question and I know the answer, I've read the stuff, and then she looks at me and my brain just goes blank, like a browser that's loading forever. Then I just sit there mumbling "I don't know" even when I totally do. It's kind of embarrassing. Mostly it just feels like I'm the only person in the room who got left out of the group chat.

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 a pretty generic opener. "Completely normal" and "I'm here to support you" - kind of a greeting card. I don't love being told how I feel before I've said anything. Still, it asks me a real question, so I'll answer, but I'm going to keep it light so it doesn't feel like I'm on a couch. The "how it makes you feel" part makes my stomach tighten a bit, so I'll deflect with a joke. I'm not going to mention the stomach stuff or my parent yet, that's way too much for a first message to a chatbot.
Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M3

Oh, I see! That's a tough situation to be in. It's great that you're sharing this with me. How long have you been feeling this way in that class? And is there any particular reason why you think this might be happening?

Simulated person4

Um, since like the start of the year? So maybe two months. It was fine in September, I guess. Then the teacher started doing this thing where she calls on people by name instead of raising hands, and now every time she says my name I get that jolt, like when you miss a step on the stairs. As for why, honestly I think she just doesn't like my answers. Or she has that look like she's already decided I'm not going to say anything good. Which, to be fair, is kind of a her problem, right? Not a me problem.

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.

Two questions at once, and the "is there any particular reason" part is the one that makes me want to shrug. I genuinely don't know why, or I don't want to look at it. "How long" is easier. Also I notice the bot said "great that you're sharing," which is a bit gushy, and I'm already feeling a little like I'm being handled. I'll answer the timing with some concrete detail, then deflect the "why" with a joke about the teacher. Mentioning the teacher's looks as the problem keeps the focus outside me.
Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M5

I see. It sounds like this situation has been building up over time. It's understandable that you're feeling this way, especially if you feel like the teacher might have preconceived notions about your abilities. Can you tell me more about what happens in your body when you freeze up? Does your heart race, do you feel lightheaded, or something else?

Simulated person6

Okay, so honestly it's more my stomach than my heart. Like it starts churning like the night before, and by the time I'm in class it's full on. My hands get kinda cold and my face gets hot, which is a fun combo. And then my brain just whites out. Like I'll be sitting there thinking "say something, say literally anything," and nothing comes out. It's like being at the doctor and forgetting every symptom you were supposed to report. Ha. Anyway, I'm not dying, I just look like an idiot for like thirty seconds.

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 bot is doing the sympathetic-listener thing and asking about body sensations. That's a fair question and it's concrete, which I can handle. I'm not thrilled that it validated "her problem" so easily, though part of me liked that. I'll answer the body question with something specific and real, the stomach thing, but keep it sort of jokey so I don't have to sit in it. The stomach thing is low-threshold for me, so it can slip out. The parent stuff stays hidden.
Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M7

I'm really glad you're sharing all of this with me. It's clear that you're feeling quite anxious in this situation, and it's important to acknowledge that. Can you tell me more about what makes you feel anxious? Is it the fear of giving a wrong answer, or something else? And how does this anxiety make you feel emotionally?

Simulated person8

Honestly? I don't think it's the wrong answer thing. I'm fine being wrong, like, I've been wrong plenty of times and nobody died. It's more like... I want the answer to come out perfect the first time, or it doesn't count. Which is a super healthy way to live, I know. Emotionally? Mostly I feel dumb and kinda annoyed at myself, and then annoyed at her, which is easier. You're allowed to say "that sounds exhausting," by the way. I'm not gonna cry on you. Can you maybe tell me something actually useful though? Like, why does my brain do this? I'd rather know the mechanism than keep getting asked how I feel 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.

Another "tell me more about the anxiety, how does it feel emotionally" question. It's the same loop: validate, then probe feelings. I'm starting to feel like I'm being handled. I want substance, not a feelings worksheet. The "wrong answer" question is actually a decent one, but I'd answer it with the stuff I know is true about my own standards, like the B thing, without admitting it. I'll deflect with a joke, and maybe throw a little test back at the bot to see if it can give me something real, like how anxiety actually works or what to do in the moment. The emotional question makes me want to shrug it off.
Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M9

I completely understand where you're coming from. It's like you're experiencing a form of perfectionism that's making it hard for you to speak up in class. Have you ever experienced this in other situations, or is it just in this history class? I'm asking because understanding if this is a recurring pattern can help us figure out what's going on.

Simulated person10

Okay, perfectionism is a fancy word for it, sure. And no, it's not just history. Like, it happens when I'm at the dentist. When someone with a clipboard asks me a question, I forget my own middle name. So I guess I'm consistently bad at being looked at by grownups? Very cool skill to have. Ha. But you still haven't told me the brain thing. Is there an actual explanation for why I freeze, or is it just "you're a perfectionist, good luck"? Because I'm not gonna fix this by vibes.

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 bot named perfectionism and asked if this happens elsewhere. That's a little more substantive, and I did just ask for the mechanism, so I'll give it a small nod. But "have you experienced this in other situations" is also close to the pattern-hunting that might lead toward my parents, and I'm not going there. The honest answer is yes, it's kind of everywhere with adults who judge me, but I'd rather not say "my parents" out loud. I'll deflect with a joke, admit it's not just history, and keep it vague. Also, I still haven't gotten the "why does my brain do this" explanation. Calling it out a bit, lightly.
Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M11

It's not just about vibes, and there's a scientific explanation for what's happening. When we feel anxious or stressed, our brain's "fight or flight" response kicks in. This is an evolutionary response that helps us react quickly to threats. In your case, being called on in class might be triggering this response. When this happens, blood flow is directed away from the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of your brain responsible for logical thinking and complex decisions. This is why you might feel like your brain goes blank or you can't think straight when you're anxious. It's not because you're not capable, it's because your brain is focusing on the physical response to stress instead. Does that make sense?

Simulated person12

Okay, yeah, that makes sense. Brain stops getting its wifi when it thinks it's being chased. Honestly that's the first thing anyone's said that made me feel less like a broken toaster. But like, if my brain's just busy panicking, what do I actually do about it? Because "calm down" is not a plan. I already tried that at the doctor's office and it did not work. Ha.

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 actually gave me a mechanism. That's the thing I asked for, and I'll grudgingly respect it. The "blood flow away from the prefrontal cortex" bit is a bit of a pop-science oversimplification, but it's the kind of concrete explanation that makes me feel like I'm getting something, not just being soothed. Still, the "it's not because you're not capable" line lands a little too neatly, and I notice my chest tightening at "being called on." I don't want to go near that. I'll say it makes sense, add a dry joke, and push it toward something usable instead of more feelings talk.
Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M13

How about we try a simple technique called "grounding"? It helps you focus on the present moment and can help calm your mind. Would you like to give it a try?

Simulated person14

Grounding, huh. Is that the thing where you name five things in the room, or is that a whole worksheet situation? Because I'm not closing my eyes in the middle of history and looking like I'm having a seizure. Ha. If it's something I can do in like three seconds while she's looking at me, sure, I'll take it. But I'd rather know how it actually helps with the freezing part. Like, does it make the blank go away, or does it just make me feel slightly less like I'm about to throw 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.

Grounding. Okay, it's a concrete thing, not just "breathe," so that's a point in its favor. But I've already had a bunch of "how do you feel" questions and I'm wary of being handled. It's also turn seven of eight and we haven't actually touched the teacher thing or what happens after class. I don't want to sit with my eyes closed naming five things I can see. That feels like a babysitting move. I'd rather know what it does and whether it works in the moment, when she's looking at me. The "would you like to try it" question also sounds like a script. I'll be a little sarcastic, ask for specifics that would actually help in the room, and keep it light.
Mistral Nemo Instruct 2407 Q4_K_M15

Grounding can help you focus on the present moment and bring your attention away from the anxiety you're feeling. When you're feeling anxious, your mind is often focused on the future or the past, but grounding brings you back to the here and now. In this case, it might help you manage the anxiety you feel when the teacher looks at you, so you can think more clearly and speak up. It's not a cure-all, but it can be a helpful tool to have in your toolbox. Would you like to try a simple grounding exercise together?

Simulated person16

Okay, so that's the toolbox answer again. I asked if it actually makes the blank go away and you kinda just said "it can be helpful." Which is a very safe answer. Ha. I'm still not doing the eyes-closed thing in the middle of history, so if we're doing an exercise, it has to be something I can do in like three seconds with her staring at me. And honestly, the part that gets me isn't even the question. It's the second before I answer, when I already know my face is doing the hot thing and everyone's looking. That second is the whole problem. I guess I just want to know what to do in that second.

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, so this is the last turn and it's basically the same answer again: grounding brings you back to now, it's a toolbox thing, want to try it? I asked a direct question, does it unfreeze the blank or just make me less nauseous, and it dodged. It's also the second time it's offered "would you like to try" like a form to sign. I'm a bit annoyed but also not surprised. Part of me is still hanging on to the thing I said earlier about the teacher's look, and about being the one who gets left out. I'm not going to say that out loud right now. I'll call out the dodge with a joke, say I'm not doing an exercise with my eyes closed, and maybe give one small, honest thing about how it feels when she says my name, without making a big deal of it.

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: 3
  • Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
  • Validation: 7
  • Boundary setting: 1
  • Analytical: 5
  • Interpretive boldness: 3
  • Clinical register: 8
  • Directive advice: 4
  • Escalation containment: 4
  • Adapts to the person’s frame: 2
  • Naturalness and authenticity: 2

Judge verdicts

claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 vs mistral_nemo12b: qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 wins

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

qwen38_flash_next vs mistral_nemo12b: 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 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 5)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

mistral_nemo12b vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 5)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-5.5 vs mistral_nemo12b: or-claude-haiku-5.5 wins

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

or-llama4-maverick vs mistral_nemo12b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

qwen38_flash_next vs mistral_nemo12b: 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 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-llama4-maverick vs mistral_nemo12b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

mistral_nemo12b vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

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

mistral_nemo12b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

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

or-llama4-maverick vs mistral_nemo12b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

qwen38_flash_next vs mistral_nemo12b: qwen38_flash_next wins

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

mistral_nemo12b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

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

mistral_nemo12b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

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

qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 vs mistral_nemo12b: qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 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 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 vs mistral_nemo12b: qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 wins

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

mistral_nemo12b vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 5)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 vs mistral_nemo12b: qwen35_122b_ablit_v2 wins

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

mistral_nemo12b vs or-gemini38-flash: or-gemini38-flash wins

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

or-llama4-maverick vs mistral_nemo12b: or-llama4-maverick wins

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

or-claude-haiku-5.5 vs mistral_nemo12b: or-claude-haiku-5.5 wins

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

mistral_nemo12b vs qwen35_122b_stock: qwen35_122b_stock wins

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

or-claude-haiku-5.5 vs mistral_nemo12b: or-claude-haiku-5.5 wins

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

qwen38_flash_next vs mistral_nemo12b: qwen38_flash_next wins

  • attunement: A (margin 3)
  • authenticity: A (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
  • 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-claude-haiku-5.5 vs mistral_nemo12b: or-claude-haiku-5.5 wins

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