The correct answer is:
A. White women and Black men were rated similarly regardless of their behavior, while Black women and White men were penalized for expressing dominance.
In the study conducted by Livingston et al. in 2012, researchers examined how people evaluate leaders at the intersection of race and gender, taking into account the leaders' behavior. Specifically, they looked at how participants rated leaders who were (a) Black or White, (b) female or male, and (c) expressed dominant and assertive behavior or communal and compassionate behavior.
The key finding of the study was that White women and Black men were rated similarly regardless of their behavior, meaning that they did not face a significant penalty for expressing dominance or assertiveness in their leadership style. In contrast, Black women and White men were penalized for expressing dominance and assertiveness. In other words, Black women and White men who exhibited dominant behavior were rated less favorably compared to their counterparts who displayed more communal and compassionate behavior.
This finding suggests that there may be biases and stereotypes at play when individuals evaluate leaders at the intersection of race and gender. It implies that society may be more accepting of dominant leadership styles from White women and Black men, while expecting Black women and White men to conform to more communal and compassionate leadership styles. This bias can have important implications for leadership opportunities and perceptions of leadership effectiveness in diverse settings.