The light-emitting element head is provided with: plural light-emitting element chips in each of which light-emitting elements are arrayed in a line; a lighting signal supply unit supplying lighting signals for setting whether or not the light-emitting elements emit light, each of the lighting signals being provided in common to the light-emitting element chips that belong to one of N groups into which the plural light-emitting element chips are divided, where N is an integer of 2 or more; and a clock signal supply unit supplying a first clock signal as a transfer signal for causing the light-emitting elements to sequentially emit light, and second clock signals for setting the light-emitting elements ready to emit light, the second clock signals being different from one another, being supplied to the respective light-emitting element chips belonging to the one of the N groups, and being supplied in common across the N groups.