Landmarks in motion: Unstable entities in route directions

In the present study, we investigate if and when speakers refer to moving entities in route directions (RDs). On the one hand, there is a general agreement that landmarks should be perceptually salient and stable objects. On the other hand, animated movement attracts visual attention, making entities intrinsically salient. In two experiments, we tested to what extent people are prepared to use moving entities. Our results show that participants mention moving entities when the communicative setting affords such references (route directions in a joint communicative setting) and when the movement is informative for the place where a turn should be taken.