AQA Approaches in Psychology Practice Test

The central executive is the attention-control system of the Working Memory Model. It doesn’t store information; instead it directs attention, allocates cognitive resources, and coordinates the other parts of working memory—the phonological loop, the visuospatial sketchpad, and the episodic buffer. It handles tasks like switching attention between activities, inhibiting distractions, updating what’s relevant, and planning actions. Long-term memories live outside working memory, so storing them isn’t a function of the central executive. The central executive’s role is about control and coordination, not storage.