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Toddlerhood: Autonomy v.s. Shame and Guilt
Pictured at the age of 2, Justin Timberlake is playing a banjo of his own with a group of adults engaging with their own instruments. As mentioned in Erikson's second stage of development, Justin was surrounded in experiences with adults who encouraged him to explore his own musical choices. This allowed him to find his own identity as a musician (autonomy) and kept him from being shy from ridicule that would have resulted in a different path (shame and guilt). -
Adolescence: Identity v.s. identity confusion
At the age of 12, Justin Timberlake joined the All-New Mickey Mouse Club as a regular cast member on the Disney Channel. This role helped him be more aware & identify his capabilities as a performer in the culture of show business, as Erikson's fifth stage states with identity). He explored comedy, singing, dancing, performing and acting with peers his age, preventing identity confusion. -
Early Adulthood: Intimacy v.s. Isolation
As Justin Timberlake spent some of his Early Adulthood stage in a serious relationship followed by multiple partners. None of them ending in marriage. Based on Erikson's sixth stage, he would have been categorized in isolation. However, in the later part of this stage, he decided to marrying his fiancé Jessica Biel at 31, ending it with intimacy.