A switching element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a switching material layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The switching material layer contains silicon (Si), oxygen (O), arsenic (As), and a predetermined element selected from lead (Pb), silver (Ag), indium (In), tin (Sn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), selenium (Se), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), gold (Au) and bismuth (Bi).