Conducted 2 experiments with female undergraduates (N = 96) comparing Ss' serial recall of 16 hierarchically formed patterns of ordered digits. Higher order organization was varied by changing the manner in which the highest order rule, either a transposition or a mirror-image operation, was applied to the preceding pattern. A given pattern involved either a forward-generated application of the rule or a high-memory-load inversely generated application. Ss used either an overt or covert response during pattern presentation. In Exp. I, where patterns were presented all at once, higher order rule manipulation was a significant factor that interacted with the nature of the higher order rule. Response strategy was significant. The interaction of higher order rule manipulation with rule type was not significant over all serial positions in Exp. II where pattern elements were presented successively and the overt response became a prediction response. Ss predicting aloud were less accurate than those not predicting aloud. Results are discussed in terms of F. Restle's theory of higher order organization and S. M. Ebenholtz's dimensional organization hypothesis. (28 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)