In the Brooks task, which result supports the idea that the Central Executive coordinates between verbal and spatial responses?

• A. Participants show no switching cost when switching between response modes.
• B. Participants show faster recall for sentences when using verbal responses.
• C. Participants rely entirely on one subsystem.
• D. Participants show greater difficulty when required to switch between verbal and spatial response modes.

Answer: (D)

In the Brooks task, the key issue is how the Central Executive manages and coordinates between the verbal (phonological loop) and spatial (visuospatial sketchpad) subsystems. The crucial finding is that when participants must switch the response mode—moving from a verbal response to a spatial one or vice versa—their performance worsens. This switching cost shows that the Central Executive is actively reconfiguring which subsystem handles the task and how they work together, rather than letting one subsystem carry the load without coordination.

That’s why the option describing greater difficulty when switching between verbal and spatial response modes is the best answer. It directly demonstrates the need for the Central Executive to orchestrate cross-system control, which is what the Brooks task was designed to reveal.

The other possibilities don’t fit as well because they imply either no coordination, a simple advantage of one modality, or reliance on a single subsystem. None captures the evidence that switching demands more control and reallocation of resources by the Central Executive.