Abstract:

Autobiographical Memory is the memory of personal experiences. Attachment theory provides an important framework for understanding autobiographical memory. Based on the differences in individual attachment styles and the Self-Memory System of Conway and Pearce’s, this article concludes that attachment system plays the role of target director, defensive exclusion and emotion regulation in autobiographical memory retrieval. Studies have found that secure individuals have advantages over insecure ones in the quantity, specificity, accuracy, accessibility, emotional intensity and arousal of memory retrieval. Future research can be carried out on the effects of attachment activation, the differences in specific components of memory retrieval between anxious and avoidant attachment styles, the relationship between attachment and retrieval of involuntary autobiographical memory.

Key words: attachment styles, autobiographical memory, target director, defensive exclusion, emotion regulation