Memories in Retrospect: Anxious Partners Remember More Intense Negative Memories While Avoidant Partners Ignore Positive Ones

We examined the relationships between attachment (anxiety and avoidance) and characteristics of autobiographical memory that involve their romantic partners. Higher anxiety predicted heightened emotional intensity, more negative valence, and more able to relive negative memories. Higher avoidance predicted more negative valence, lower confidence, and less ability to relive positive memories.