Working models of attachment are considered key mediators of responses to a
ttachment-related events, but relatively little research examines their dir
ective influence. In this study we investigated the dynamics of working mod
els by means of a memory paradigm. Participants were tested for attachment
orientation and several weeks later read an attachment-related story, perfo
rmed an attachment-unrelated task, and took a cued-recall test about the st
ory. They were additionally primed by the writing of supportive or rejectin
g friendship experiences either before reading the story or afterwards. Res
ults provided evidence for two types of information processing effects, att
achment-schematic information processing and attachment-related constraints
on information processing capacity. Secure attachment was associated with
better recall of positive story events when participants were primed by rej
ecting memories before the story. Fearful attachment was associated with be
tter recall of negative story events, when participants were primed by eith
er rejecting or supportive memories before the story. Fearful attachment wa
s associated with impaired performance on the attachment-unrelated task, wh
en participants were primed by rejecting memories prior to executing the ta
sk.