Usage-based theory and the gestalt language processor: an integrative perspective on language processing

Abstract

This study presents a scoping review aimed at mapping the existing literature on Usage-Based Theory and Gestalt Language Processing, analyzing their convergences and divergences in the language acquisition of children with typical and atypical developmental trajectories. The review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines. The databases PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS, EMBASE, and PubMed were consulted, complemented by hand searching. The search strategy followed the PCC model (Population, Concept, Context), with no temporal restrictions. Out of 12,104 retrieved articles, 20 met the inclusion criteria; hand searching added 23 texts, totaling 43 analyzed studies. The results show that Usage-Based Theory and Gestalt Language Processing converge in describing acquisition as starting from holistic units (chunks/gestalts), which are gradually analyzed and recombined. The main divergence lies in their structure: Usage-Based Theory proposes a continuum with a broad empirical basis, whereas Gestalt Language Processing organizes development into clinical stages focused on echolalia in Autism Spectrum Disorder, relying primarily on qualitative descriptions and clinical reports. It is concluded that Gestalt Language Processing represents a developmental trajectory in autism aligned with the cognitive principles of Usage-Based Theory, reframing echolalia as a communicative starting point and supporting a more individualized and evidence-based clinical practice.