In the ecclesiastical courts, classical methods, such as psychological conversation and assessment, are used as they are considered the most valuable psychological means. The testing methods and questionnaires are of great importance to the legal expert as well. However, they do not always constitute a crucial addendum like in other psychological researches. The investigational techniques mentioned above are merely to help the legal expert to resolve his doubts. The fact that those methods are implemented does not raise the value of the final motion, even though it is important that the techniques used by the expert touch upon not only the present mental state of the person being tested but also the past.
The starting point for this study of the marriage according to Guazzo is the notion of conversation in its original meaning, as living together. The treaty of Guazzo (1574) develops the concept of « civil conversazione » in which men exchange their opinions, but especially support each other and show mutual respect and amiability, which avoids conflicts. The study shows the analogies between such ideal of communication and Guazzo’s vision of the marriage – both envisaged in the humanistic and Christian perspectives: as foundations of society and means of mutual edification. Guazzo’s discourse concerning conversation of the spouses oscillates between the necessity of accomodation to the spouse (related to concealment) and sincerity. Given the complexity of codes that characterize other types of communication, « marital conversazione » is presented as the closest to the ideal of transparency.