Ageism is a bias against, discrimination towards, or bullying of individuals and groups on the basis of their age. The term was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler to describe discrimination against the elderly, patterned on the terminology of sexism and racism. Butler defined ageism as a combination of three connected elements: negative attitudes towards old age and the aging process, discriminatory practices against older people, and institutional practices and policies that perpetuate stereotypes about elderly people.