The preference for fixating “easy” agents is consistent with linear incrementality as it shows immediate effects of character-specific properties on early formulation. Importantly, differences in the distribution of early fixations in this time window were also modulated by Event codability (resulting in an interaction between Event and Agent codability in the by-participant analysis). The difference in fixations to “easy” and “hard” agents was larger in lower-codability events than in higher-codability events: speakers were less likely to fixate

“easy” agents in “easy” events than to fixate “easy” agents in “hard” events, but were more likely to fixate “hard” agents in “easy” events than to fixate “hard” agents in “hard” Dabrafenib nmr events. This shows sensitivity to character properties when

the event is hard to encode selleck chemicals and less sensitivity to character properties when the event is easy to encode, which is broadly consistent with hierarchical incrementality. Fixations between 400 and 1000 ms. Having fixated agents with priority at the outset of formulation (0–400 ms), speakers did not continue formulating sentences with an easy-to-name agent in subject position. Instead, they shifted their gaze back to the patient by 400 ms, suggesting that they also preferred to encode information about the second character relatively early in the formulation process. Fig. 3 shows that the shift of gaze away from the agent was larger in items with “easy” agents, so there were fewer fixations to “easy” agents than “hard” agents at the start of the 400–1000 ms time window (i.e., at 400–600 ms; a main effect of Agent codability; Table 3b). In contrast, when speakers fixated agents to a lesser

extent before 400 ms (“hard” agents), they were more likely to immediately turn their gaze to the agent after 400 ms. Between 400 and 1000 ms, speakers deployed their gaze to the agent in events with “easy” and “hard” agents alike. There was no interaction between Agent codability and Time bin, indicating that the slope of fixations in events with “easy” many and “hard” agents did not change over time: speakers continued fixating “harder” agents more than “easier” agents until 1000 ms. At the start of the 400–1000 ms time window (i.e., 400–600 ms), speakers were also less likely to fixate agents in “easier” events than “harder” events (a main effect of Event codability). An interaction with Time bin shows that fixations to the agent subsequently increased more quickly in “easier” events than “harder” events. Fixations between 1000 and 1800 ms (speech onset). Speakers began looking away from the agent approximately 1000 ms after picture onset, and the cross-over point after which they started fixating the patient preferentially occurred approximately 1800 ms into the trial (i.e.