Final answer:
William James studied the mind through introspection, experiential observation, and consciousness examination, an approach known as radical empiricism. He also contributed significantly by teaching Harvard's first psychology course and writing the first psychology textbook.
Step-by-step explanation:
The method that William James used to study the mind involved reported observations of his own experiences, which primarily centered on introspection and examination of consciousness. He did not rely on experiments as we typically understand them today in modern psychology. His approach is often referred to as radical empiricism, because he focused on the description and analysis of individual experiences. In addition to this, James made significant contributions to the field including teaching Harvard's first psychology course and writing the first psychology textbook, the 'Principles of Psychology'
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