The current study presents research on future time ambiguity and its relation with
personality characteristics. Ambiguity of future was traditionally considered to be a stressful factor.
Our study revealed that with concern to ambiguity, respondents could be divided into 3 groups:
(1) those having a clear idea of their future; (2) those having no idea of the future; (3) those whose
attitude is perceiving the future as ambiguous. The sample was initially divided into two: young
adults (aged 17-20, n=60), older adults (aged 45-60, n=187). Different content of the future in
these 3 groups was revealed. An analysis of personal characteristics and coping strategies revealed
that the fi rst and third groups, though using different mechanisms, show quite constructive and
adaptive strategies of behavior, while the less adaptive group appeared to be the second. Lifespan
analysis showed that though in both age samples the fi rst and third groups are most adaptive, they
are still using different mechanisms. Results showed that ambiguity remains quite an underdeveloped
construct, which considers positive and negative components, among which ambiguity as unclearness
of future time plays more of a negative role, and the conceptual attitude to the future as unidentifi ed
and undetermined has a positive effect.