As I allude to earlier, psychiatrists believe that the development of serial killer behavior begins shortly after birth. A crucial element in childhood development is bonding or attachment and this refers to the emotional connection formed between and infant and its parents starting virtually from the moment of its birth. Pediatricians believe that "the bond that a child develops to the person who cares for him in his early years is the foundation for his future relationships with others". Successful bonding is critical to intellectual development and future self-reliance, management of fear and other negative emotions and the development of a conscience.
This bonding is achieved in stages that begin with smiles or gestures to the mother and extend to being able to differentiate between one familiar person and another. The experts are not sure how much time is needed to complete this process but they agree by age two the average human being's attitude towards life and other human beings has already been established.