  Context: Although software development is a human activity, Software
Engineering (SE) research has focused mostly on processes and tools, making
human factors underrepresented. This kind of research may be improved using
knowledge from human-focused disciplines. An example of missed opportunities is
how SE employs psychometric instruments. Objective: Provide an overview of
psychometric instruments in SE research regarding personality and provide
recommendations for adopting them. Method: We conducted a systematic mapping to
build an overview of instruments used within SE for assessing personality and
reviewed their use from a multidisciplinary perspective of SE and social
science. Results: We contribute with a secondary study covering fifty years of
research (1970 to 2020). One of the most adopted instruments (MBTI) faces
criticism within social sciences, and we identified discrepancies between its
application and existing recommendations. We emphasize that several instruments
refer to the Five-Factor Model, which despite its relevance in social sciences,
has no specific advice for its application within SE. We discuss general advice
for its proper application. Conclusion: The findings show that the adoption of
psychometric instruments regarding personality in SE needs to be improved,
ideally with the support of social science researchers. We believe that the
review presented in this study can help to understand limitations and to evolve
in this direction.
