Utterly worthless research to be published

For the record, I've made my skepticism toward the worth of modern studies and surveys known before, especially where such light and fluffy disciplines as sociology and personality study are concerned.  Based on the upcoming release of a 'study' that suggests atheists are more compassionate than religious people, I won't be changing my mind any time soon.  I mean, really?  How many assumptions, biases, and personal beliefs had to go into the premises behind this study in the first place?  Just the fact that the researchers even bother to separate compassion that are not based on things like doctrine shows the bias of the researchers.  After all, the idea that atheists aren't influenced by doctrine, communal identity, or reputation concerns is, itself, a personal point of view.  Many would argue that atheists have these things in spades.  Again, there are few things I'm more cynical about than the modern news media.  Academic studies and surveys are, however, a close second.