This paper discusses organizational processes and memory in general and organizational processes and adult age differences in memory in particular. The simplest analysis of memory is to divide the process into two parts: storage and retrieval. Studies show that the limitation of memory lies primarily in retrieval rather than storage. Organization represents a retrieval plan or rule to provide a set of cues. From this approach, there are at least two possible sources of adult age differences in retrieval processes: (1) differences in the quantity and quality of the information contained in the retrieval plan; and (2) differences in the availability of the retrieval plan at recall. Studies are presented illustrating both of these possibilities. (KJ/Author)