Final answer:
The first event from the options given was William James's publication of "Principles of Psychology" in 1890, which played a crucial role in establishing psychology as a distinct scientific field.
Step-by-step explanation:
The notable event in psychology that occurred first was d. William James published "Principles of Psychology." This publication came out in 1890 and is considered one of the founding works in the field of psychology. Before James, questions about the mind were dealt with philosophically rather than scientifically. William James, often referred to as the first American psychologist, is credited with helping establish psychology as a distinct scientific discipline, separate from philosophy. In contrast, the American Psychological Association (APA) was founded later in 1892, and Sigmund Freud published "The Interpretation of Dreams" in 1899, almost a decade after James's seminal work. B.F. Skinner's experiments with operant conditioning would not occur until the middle of the 20th century, making his work the most recent of the options provided.