Final answer:
In the history of psychology, the method involving participants describing aspects of their conscious experience of an item, such as a chair, is known as objective introspection. This was a key component of structuralism, an early psychological theory focused on the structure of the mind through introspective methods.
Step-by-step explanation:
Method Called in Early Psychological Research
Participants in early psychological research who were asked to view an object such as a chair and to describe its color, shape, and texture were using a method known as objective introspection. This technique was part of an early school of thought in psychology known as structuralism, which focused on breaking down mental processes into their most basic elements. The approach was pioneered by Wilhelm Wundt and his student Edward Titchener. They sought to understand the structure of the mind by having individuals report their conscious experiences in response to stimuli.
Structuralism emphasized the use of introspection to explore the systematic and detailed description of mental experiences. This method contrasts with approaches such as behaviorism, which only deals with observable behaviors, and psychoanalysis, founded by Sigmund Freud, which explores the unconscious mind. Introspection as a process was fundamental in these early psychological explorations, allowing researchers to gather reports on the subjective experiences of their subjects.