The projective techniques are used to overcome the barriers of rationality, logicality and politeness, which often play an important role in case of direct questioning. In direct questioning people often tend to give politically correct answers that are considered right by many. Also they try not to hurt the researcher and thus avoid negative answers. In case of projective techniques, an indirect approach is adopted. Instead of asking questions, the respondents are subjected to different test. These include the associations test, sentence completion test and thematic appreciation test.
Association tests attempts to get an immediate response to a stimulus such to get an immediate responses to a stimulus such as a word or picture by asking the respondent to say the first thing that comes to his mind. Sentence completion tests are an extension of the association test. Here the respondents are given incomplete test use pictures, which are shown to respondents. They are asked to tell stories about the pictures. These descriptions and interpretations are analyzed to find out about their attitudes.
In depth interviewing the respondent is first put at ease by the researcher while he tries to build up a rapport with the respondents. Then the respondents are asked leading or probing questions to bring out his underlying subconscious reaction to the brand or organization advertised. The questions are never structures and the interview is always conducted in a free and cordial manner. The flexibility and freeness brings out many facts. Which usually are hidden beneath the conscious mind of the respondent? Depth interviewing needs to be conducted by highly skilled and trained psychologists to be able to fully explore the attitude of respondents.