[Paola Lombroso, a woman in the science of man]

The article reconstructs the intellectual development of Paola Lombroso and the role she played in the diffusion of the field of child psychology in Italy. At a time when scientific psychology was in its early phases and studies on childhood were concentrated on its pathological aspects, Paola represents a unique voice in her field, and one well-respected by the Italian publishing scene. Introduced to these sciences by her father, Cesare, who himself recognized the legitimacy of the descriptive psychological approach, Paola developed in her writings a progressive distance from Lombrosian Anthropology. A self-taught and prolific author, well-known and well-respected by her peers, and translated abroad, Paola Lombroso, while never attaining primary status in scientific research or institutionally, nonetheless presented considerable contributions to the spread of this psychology. The reconstruction of Paola's development contributes to an overall explanation of the Italian context in the arena of psychological sciences at the time. In this period several women obtained considerable fame and visibility, thanks in part to the importance they attached to scientific popularisation both in the promotion of knowledge and in population's education.