We need the cerebral cortex (neocortex) in order to establish connections between information received through the senses. In the neocortex, images of objects are formed (for example, a banana is not only yellow, but also smooth), and it was thanks to it that Pavlov’s dog was able to understand that food does not appear on its own, but only after the light bulb is turned on. However, new studies of neurological patients show that associative learning is possible without the participation of the neocortex. Thus, a person who has lost the visual cortex can establish an association between a red circle of a certain color and size and a sound of a certain pitch and volume - and this despite the fact that he does not consciously perceive the colors, sizes and shapes of objects.