How does Central Executive function in the Working Memory Model?

• A. Stores sensory details
• B. Coordinates operations, attention, switching between tasks
• C. Holds memory traces in a passive buffer
• D. Rehearses items in the Phonological Loop only

Answer: (B)

The central executive acts as the attentional control system at the top of the Working Memory Model. It doesn’t store information itself; instead it directs attention, decides what to focus on, retrieves and updates goals, and coordinates processing across the other subsystems. It handles planning, monitoring progress, and switching between tasks, especially when interference or changing demands require a shift in focus. Rehearsal and storage are handled by the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad, with integration possible in the episodic buffer; the central executive is not a passive storage area nor a place where sensory details are kept. This combination of active control, resource allocation, and task-switching is what the central executive does best.