What early school of psychology used introspection to explore the structure of the human mind?

Structuralism is the early school of psychology that focused on analyzing the structure of the human mind through introspection. This approach involved trained individuals reporting their conscious experiences in response to various stimuli. By examining these reports, structuralists aimed to identify the basic components of the mind, such as sensations, feelings, and thoughts, much like a chemist analyzes chemical compounds.

The emphasis on introspection as a method of inquiry was foundational for structuralism, making it the primary technique for gathering psychological data at that time. This method paved the way for subsequent psychological theories and practices but was eventually critiqued and supplemented by other methodologies that explored the complexity of human behavior and mental processes.