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Research examining recreationists' perceptions of setting density in outdoor recreation contexts has illustrated the influence of a number of factors. In this investigation we examined the effect of activity involvement and place attachment on hikers' perceptions of setting density using frameworks offered by social judgment and cognitive development theories. We hypothesized that respondents' perceptions of setting density would involve cognitive evaluations where the condition encountered is compared against the individual's personal standard for that specific context. Additionally, past work operating within this framework has suggested that the activation of ego-attitudes amplifies the processes of assimilation and contrast such that disparate conditions are contrasted and conditions consistent with the respondents' position are assimilated and considered acceptable. The extent to which respondents' ego-attitudes …