A group of researchers studying the age, gender, and socioeconomic status of café patrons is employing which type of research design?

Descriptive research is focused on providing an accurate portrayal of characteristics of a particular population or phenomenon. In this case, the researchers are examining specific attributes of café patrons, namely age, gender, and socioeconomic status. This type of study aims to gather information about the existing conditions or the demographic profile of the café goers without manipulating any variables or exploring relationships between them.

By using descriptive research, the investigators can identify trends or distributions within the population, such as how many patrons fall into different age groups or what the gender breakdown looks like. This method is essential for generating data that can be useful for further analyses or for informing business decisions, marketing strategies, or public policy related to café operations.

This approach differs from experimental research, which involves manipulation of variables to determine cause-and-effect relationships, and correlational research, which examines the relationships between variables but does not provide the detailed characteristics that descriptive research does. Qualitative research, on the other hand, typically focuses on understanding underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations, rather than quantifying demographic data.