False contouring during display by time division gray scales can be prevented with high efficiency. The order of appearance of subframe periods, and the times at which the subframe periods begin, are changed between pixels driven by odd number gate signal lines and pixels driven by even number gate signal lines. For example, assume that display is performed in a display period T.sub.r1 of a subframe period SF.sub.1, a display period T.sub.r2 of a subframe period SF.sub.2, and a display period T.sub.r3 of a subframe period SF.sub.3. The order of appearance of the display periods is changed between pixels driven by the odd number gate signal lines (B1) and pixels driven by the even number gate signal lines (B2). Although the non-light emitting display periods (display periods T.sub.r3, T.sub.r2, and T.sub.r1) are continuous over nearly one frame period in the odd number lines of pixels when there is a gray scale change, non-light emission and light emission are repeated alternately at the same time for the even number lines of pixels. Accordingly, the brightness of the above light emission is averaged by human eyes, and therefore the generation of unnatural dark lines (false contouring) can be suppressed.