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Attachment research has investigated the ways in which individual differences in attachment influence relationship outcomes. Research on individual differences in attachment and mating preferences is lacking in non-Western cultures. The current study examined the relationships between attachment dimensions and long-term mate preferences in Iran. A sample of adults (N = 255; 54% women) completed measures of attachment and long-term mate preferences. Anxious attachment was positively correlated with women’s preferences for Education/Intelligence and Religiosity/Chastity, and positively associated with men’s preferences for Kindness/Dependability, Status/Resources, and Religiosity/Chastity in choosing a long-term mate. Avoidant attachment style was not related to long-term mate preferences in either sexes. Findings are discussed in the light of evolutionary perspectives on attachment and human mate preferences. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Assessment of intrasexual competition has largely relied on Intrasexual Competition Scale (ICS; Buunk & Fisher Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 7:37–48, 2009). Based on recent developments in mating psychology and the notion that humans use multiple tactics to compete with same-sex individuals, we propose a new theory-driven assessment strategy for intrasexual rivalry in men and women. Here, we develop and initially validate the 16-item Intrasexual Rivalry Scale (IRS). Eight items represented self-promoting tactics in four mating areas and eight items represented rival-derogatory tactics in the same mating areas. We pre-registered our study design and statistical strategy and recruited a community sample in a non-Western culture, Iran. Consistent with our theoretical expectation, exploratory factor analysis (N = 211) clearly suggested extraction of two distinct factors (self-promotion and rival-derogation). Results suggested that scores on the ICS are strongly correlated with rival-derogation, but only weakly associated with self-promotion. Findings are explained in the light of evolutionary psychological perspective and future directions with the newly developed scale are outlined.