A display device configured to correct gamma characteristics in a simplified and expeditious manner upon renewal of a display portion and a method for driving the same. The display device has a source driver supplied with tentative gradation reference voltages generated by a voltage dividing circuit having a plurality of resistances connected in series. The source driver generates a tentative gradation voltage group based on the tentative gradation reference voltages. Upon a power supply circuit start up, gradation voltage data supplied from a display control circuit is subjected to D/A conversion by a D/A converter, so that normal gradation reference voltages are generated. The normal gradation reference voltages are supplied to the source driver in place of the tentative gradation reference voltages. Thereafter, the source driver generates normal gradation voltages based on the normal gradation reference voltages in place of the tentative gradation voltages.