Adult attachment and working representations: Implications for the structure of working models in memory

Internal working models are cognitive-affective-motivationaI representations that are richly interconnected within an hierarchical network. Differences in attachment style are attributed to systematic differences in working models. Adults with a dismissing attachment style are characterized by their disavowal of the need for close relationships. Previous research suggests their habitual use of defensive strategies facilitates the construction of working models that are poorly integrated with other mental representations in memory. It was hypothesized that as a result of this organization, dismissing adults have developmentally less mature working representations than adults with other attachment styles. Information about subjects' working representations of people in general and their parents was gathered using the Thematic Apperception Test and an early memories interview, respectively. Responses were analyzed using the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale (Westen, 1995; Westen, Barends, Leigh, Mendel, & Silbert, 1990). A dismissing style was associated with an immature capacity to invest in relationships and moral standards for both people in general and parents. Working representations of mothers and fathers were highly associated. Yet, subjects evidenced greater investment in the relationship and morals of their mothers than fathers, and the complexity of their representations was greater for fathers than mothers. The discussion focuses on implications for the structure of working models in memory.