Abstract: The relative effects of communication media (computer-mediated, CM vs. Face-To-Face, FTF) and methods of discussion, i.e., devil’s advocacy (DA), dialectical inquiry (DI), expertise (E), unstructured discussion (control group, C), on decision making of groups with simulated laboratory experiments of personnel selection were investigated by this study. The results showed: (1) There were significant effects of communication conditions and methods of discussion on information exchanging. (2) On the side of group members’ attitudes, the members suffered much more difficulty in CM than in FTF. There were major effects of methods of discussion on difficulty of decision-making felt by members. And there were no significant effects of communication media and methods of discussion on both process satisfaction and outcome satisfaction. (3) The number of turns of votes for making sure consensus under DA and DI was more than that under E and C. There were significant effects of methods of discussion on the number of turns of votes which indicated the total time of decision-making of groups.

Key words: computer-mediated, face-to-face, decision-making of group, devil’s advocacy, dialectical inquiry