A control method is provided for suppressing a flicker phenomenon even if frame periods vary in length. The control method controls an emission period and an extinction period of a frame period, which is a period in which one image continues to be displayed. When a signal indicating start of a frame period is detected, as the frame period, n subframe periods that configure the frame period, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 2, are sequentially started from the first subframe period, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the detection of the signal. All of the n subframe periods are controlled to have a substantially same length determined in advance and to have a substantially same ratio between the emission period and the extinction period, determined in advance, the ratio being referred to as a duty ratio.