A large body of literature reports that there are gender differences in mathematical problem solving favouring males. Strategy use, as a reflection of different patterns in mathematical problem solving between genders, is found to be related to cognitive abilities, together with psychological characteristics and mediated by experience and education. Many complex variables including biological, psychological and environmental variables are revealed to contribute to gender differences in mathematical problem solving in some specific areas. This article suggests that the combined influence of all affective variables may account for the gender differences in mathematical problem solving patterns. (Contains 9 footnotes.)