Final answer:
The researcher is employing a cross-sectional research design, comparing different age groups at the same time to see if they respond similarly or differently.
Step-by-step explanation:
In this case, the researcher is employing a cross-sectional research design. Cross-sectional research involves comparing multiple segments of the population at the same time. In this study, the researcher is comparing different age groups (people in their 50s, 60s, and 70s) to see if they respond alike or differently from one another. Instead of studying the same group of individuals over an extended period of time (which would be longitudinal research), the researcher is collecting data at a single time across different age groups.