Final answer:
Long Term Memory and Working Memory are recognized as separate systems due to models like Baddeley and Hitch's working memory model, and empirical evidence from patients with brain trauma. The distinct brain regions involved and the specific processes each system undertakes further emphasize their separate functions and characteristics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The separation of Long Term Memory (LTM) and Working Memory can be understood through various models and research findings. Baddeley and Hitch proposed the working memory model, which suggests that short-term memory comprises multiple systems that process different types of information, such as the visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop, and the episodic buffer. A central executive oversees these systems and is involved in transferring information into long-term memory, indicating a distinct function from the transient working memory systems.
Further evidence comes from observations and studies of patients with brain trauma. For example, the case of patient HM showed that after losing his medial temporal lobe, he maintained his short-term memory but could not form new long-term memories, suggesting different regions of the brain are responsible for these functions. Moreover, factors like memory trace decay and interference primarily affect short-term memory, while long-term memory involves different processes such as consolidation and retrieval mechanisms like recall, recognition, and relearning.