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The Assessment of the Credibility of Parties’ and Witnesses’ Testimonies in Canonical Trials in the Light of Forensic Psychology and the MASAM Model
Abstract
This article examines the assessment of the credibility of testimonies given by parties and witnesses in canonical marriage trials. It explores how forensic psychology provides criteria and analytical methods – such as Statement Validity Assessment (SVA), Criteria-Based Content Analysis (CBCA), Scientific Content Analysis (SCAN), Reality Monitoring, and especially the Multivariable Adults’ Statements Assessment Model (MASAM) – for evaluating reliability and authenticity of statements. Particular attention is paid to psychological factors influencing testimony, including memory distortions, stress, and personality traits. The article also presents selected case law from diocesan tribunals, illustrating how canonical judges integrate psychological expertise with canonical and moral evaluations when determining credibility. The study argues that the MASAM model offers a comprehensive and practical tool for improving the assessment of testimony within ecclesiastical judicial practice.
Keywords:
credibility of testimony, canonical trials, forensic psychology, MASAM model, witness assessment, ecclesiastical courtsDetails
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.