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Industry vs. Inferiority
Blair (age 12) notices that her best friend Serena has an easier time in school and with making new friends. Blair feels like she needs to compete with Serena in order to feel better about herself. In Erikson's fourth stage, industry vs. inferiority, the crisis is feeling the need to compare oneself to their peers, which can lead to feelings of inferiority if they are not reaching the same goals or feelings of satisfaction when feeling equal to their peers.
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Identity vs. Role Confusion
Blair (age 18) had always planned to attend her dream school Yale after graduating from high school; however, when she is rejected and left with no backup schools, she feels lost. With graduation approaching, Blair struggles to find what she wants to do after high school. In Erikson's fifth stage, identity vs role confusion, the crisis is between having developed a strong sense of self or lacking direction and identity.
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Intimacy vs. Isolation
Blair (age 20) ends her relationship with Chuck, despite wanting to be with him, because she wants to be successful in her career first. In Erikson's sixth stage, intimacy vs. isolation, the crisis is between letting people in and building successful relationships and wanting to be closed off from intimacy as a result of not being comfortable with one's self.
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