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arXiv 2026 · Preprint

How Far Do Persona Effects Generalize in Language Models?

Yufan Zhou, Yuxuan Liu, Enze Ma, Lyumanshan Ye, Zhongqi Yue, Robin De Croon, Yucheng Jin, Katrien Verbert, Zhao Wang

Overview

This study examines whether patterns learned from persona prompts predict responses to new questions and remain useful when the model or prompt changes. Across 57 attributes, three behavioral domains, and seven pairs of language models, predictable persona effects do not necessarily transfer reliably. The analysis separates transfer from gains due to calibration on the target setting.

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