In the context of the free association method used by Horney to assess the functioning of her patients' personality, which of the following statements is true?
a) Patients are asked to provide structured responses to predetermined questions.
b) Patients are encouraged to express themselves freely without censorship or judgment.
c) Patients are given a set of standardized tests to evaluate their personality traits.
d) Patients are guided through specific prompts to explore their unconscious thoughts and feelings.