What is the role of the central executive in the working memory model?

• A. Stores phonological information
• B. Stores visual information from the external world
• C. Controls the operations of slave systems and manages information flow
• D. Holds long-term memory traces

Answer: (C)

The central executive acts as the control center of working memory. Its main job is to direct attention and coordinate the activities of the other components—the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad (and, later, the episodic buffer). It decides what information to focus on, how to allocate cognitive resources, and how to switch or integrate tasks. It also handles processes like updating, monitoring, inhibiting distractions, and planning problem-solving steps, guiding how information moves between working memory and long-term memory as needed. Because its role is supervisory rather than storage-based, it doesn’t hold phonological or visual information like the other subsystems, and it doesn’t store long-term memory traces. That’s why the option describing the central executive as controlling operations and information flow best captures its function.