Williams College

About: Williams College is a education organization based out in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Politics. The organization has 2257 authors who have published 5015 publications receiving 213160 citations. The organization is also known as: Williams.

Why People Waive Their Miranda Rights: The Power of Innocence

Abstract: In a laboratory experiment, 72 participants who were guilty or innocent of a mock theft were apprehended for investigation. Motivated to avoid prosecution and trial, they were confronted by a neutral, sympathetic, or hostile male “detective” who sought a waiver of their Miranda rights. Later, 72 other participants watched videotapes of these sessions and answered questions about the detective and suspect. Strikingly, results showed that although the detective’s demeanor had no effect, participants who were truly innocent were significantly more likely to sign a waiver than those who were guilty. Naively believing in the power of their innocence to set them free, most waived their rights even in the hostile detective condition, where the risk of interrogation was apparent. The conceptual and policy implications of these results are

Genetic Composition of the Bacillus subtilis SOS System

Abstract: The SOS response in bacteria includes a global transcriptional response to DNA damage. DNA damage is sensed by the highly conserved recombination protein RecA, which facilitates inactivation of the transcriptional repressor LexA. Inactivation of LexA causes induction (derepression) of genes of the LexA regulon, many of which are involved in DNA repair and survival after DNA damage. To identify potential RecA-LexA-regulated genes in Bacillus subtilis, we searched the genome for putative LexA binding sites within 300 bp upstream of the start codons of all annotated open reading frames. We found 62 genes that could be regulated by putative LexA binding sites. Using mobility shift assays, we found that LexA binds specifically to DNA in the regulatory regions of 54 of these genes, which are organized in 34 putative operons. Using DNA microarray analyses, we found that 33 of the genes with LexA binding sites exhibit RecA-dependent induction by both mitomycin C and UV radiation. Among these 33 SOS genes, there are 22 distinct LexA binding sites preceding 18 putative operons. Alignment of the distinct LexA binding sites reveals an expanded consensus sequence for the B. subtilis operator: 5'-CGAACATATGTTCG-3'. Although the number of genes controlled by RecA and LexA in B. subtilis is similar to that of Escherichia coli, only eight B. subtilis RecA-dependent SOS genes have homologous counterparts in E. coli.

Phenotypic design, plasticity, and ecological performance in two tadpole species

Abstract: This study relates community ecology to phenotypic design in two species of hylid tadpole that share larval habitat on the rocky shoreline of Isle Royale, Michigan. The ecological results indicate that the two species partition a competition-predation gradient on the shore. Pseudacris crucifer is mostly high on the shore at low density in persistent pools with predators (dragonfly larvae, Aeshnajuncea); tadpoles have low individual growth rates and metamorphose late at large body size. Pseudacris triseriata is more variable in growth and development but typically grows more rapidly and metamorphoses earlier. All P. crucifer that attain metamorpho- sis emerge from pools with Aeshna, whereas P. triseriata metamorphose from a mixture of pools with and without predators. A reciprocal transplant experiment showed that both species survived poorly in the upper level pools with predators, which indicates that predation is more important there. The experiment did not show strong competition between the two species in either kind of pool. The phenotypes, including plasticity, of the two species are consistent with their ecological differences. Pseudacris triseriata has traits that functional arguments suggest should assist in processing food: in natural populations it hatches at large size, feeds actively and conspicuously, and has a relatively round body and small tail muscle and tail fin. Pseudacris crucifer has the opposite suite of characters, which functional arguments suggest favor predator avoidance. The variation in larval habitat correlated with differences in plasticity. In the trans- plant experiment, P. crucifer showed little change in phenotype, whereas P. triseriata reduced activity and increased tail fin and tail muscle size in the presence of Aeshna. This study illustrates that ecological differences in tadpoles correlate with behavioral and morphological phenotypes and that phenotypic traits can be used to predict ecological performance in manipulative experi- ments in natural settings. One of the underlying theses of ecology asserts that we can understand the control of communities in terms of interactions, notably competition and preda- tion, between the component populations. A rich experimental tradition has tested this proposition, focusing on interactions among populations. The impor- tance of causal factors is judged according to the impact on population dynamics, judged by experimentally excluding or adding member species in the community (Gause 1934; Connell 1961; Wilbur 1972). This experimental approach, termed phenomenological, has established the causal bases for an increasing number of natural patterns in communities, including the differences in habitat among closely related species.

Children's Need to Know: Curiosity in Schools

Abstract: In this essay, Susan Engel argues that curiosity is both intrinsic to children's development and unfolds through social interactions. Thus, it should be cultivated in schools, even though it is often almost completely absent from classrooms. Calling on well-established research and more recent studies, Engel argues that interactions between teachers and students can foster or inhibit children's curiosity. She offers an explanation for why curiosity is not a priority in our educational system and calls for greater attention to children's interests and explorations, which, she argues, are the mechanisms that underlie authentic learning.