Disclosed are a method for driving a piezoelectric element or an optical modulator including a piezoelectric element and a recorded medium recorded with a program for executing the same. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the method for driving a piezoelectric element causing a displacement object to be displaced by being contracted or expanded according to a supplied driving voltage, including supplying a driving signal to the piezoelectric element during a first driving period in a first voltage range; supplying a control signal for controlling a polarization hysteresis of the piezoelectric element according to a driving, performed during the first driving period, to the piezoelectric element; and supplying the driving signal to the piezoelectric element during a second driving period in a second voltage range.