Which of the following is a limitation of the Working Memory Model?

• A. It cannot explain any cognitive task.
• B. It does not involve a central executive.
• C. Complexity and the challenge of empirically testing its components.
• D. It has been proven to be incorrect in all aspects.

Answer: (C)

The main limitation is the complexity of the model and the difficulty in testing its parts empirically. The central executive is a broad, abstract control system, while the phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, and later episodic buffer are inferred from task performance rather than observed directly. Because many tasks draw on multiple subsystems at once, researchers struggle to design experiments that isolate each component and its specific function. This makes it hard to obtain clear, unambiguous evidence for how the pieces work together, even though the model remains influential.