central executive

Meaning: In Baddeley and Hitch's model of working memory, the central executive is the attention-controlling system. It decides what to focus on, shifts attention between tasks, and coordinates the slave systems that hold information briefly: the phonological loop (verbal and sound-based information), the visuospatial sketchpad (images and spatial layout), and the episodic buffer (which integrates information from these parts and from long-term memory).

It is described as having limited capacity, so splitting attention across two demanding tasks lowers performance. It is linked to executive functions such as planning, inhibiting distractions, and updating or switching goals, which are associated with the prefrontal cortex.

On the MCAT: Passages describe a dual-task experiment, for example remembering a string of digits while solving a reasoning problem, and ask which component is taxed. Tasks that need attention shifting, planning, or coordination point to the central executive. Rehearsing a phone number points to the phonological loop, and mentally rotating a shape points to the visuospatial sketchpad. Questions may also ask you to contrast working memory with the older, simpler idea of short-term memory as a passive store.

Common confusion: Students treat the central executive as a place where memories are stored. It is mainly a control system for attention and coordination. Storage in the model is handled by the subsystems, and long-term memory lies outside working memory.