For programming language lawyers, I've went through the following sections of ECMAScript 5.1 (which is easier to read than the latest edition), and go as far as asking it on the ECMAScript mailing list.

TL;DR: Everythings're passed by value, but properties of Objects are references, and the definition of Object is creepily lacking in the standard.

Construction of Argument Lists

Section 11.2.4 "Argument Lists" says the following on producing a argument list consisting of only 1 argument:

The production ArgumentList : AssignmentExpression is evaluated as follows:

1. Let ref be the result of evaluating AssignmentExpression.
2. Let arg be GetValue(ref).
3. Return a List whose sole item is arg.

The section also enumerate cases where argument list has 0 or >1 arguments.

Thus, everything's are passed by reference.

Access of Object Properties

Section 11.2.1 "Property Accessors"

The production MemberExpression : MemberExpression [ Expression ] is evaluated as follows:

1. Let baseReference be the result of evaluating MemberExpression.
2. Let baseValue be GetValue(baseReference).
3. Let propertyNameReference be the result of evaluating Expression.
4. Let propertyNameValue be GetValue(propertyNameReference).
5. Call CheckObjectCoercible(baseValue).
6. Let propertyNameString be ToString(propertyNameValue).
7. If the syntactic production that is being evaluated is contained in strict mode code, let strict be true, else let strict be false.
8. Return a value of type Reference whose base value is baseValue and whose referenced name is propertyNameString, and whose strict mode flag is strict.

Thus, properties of Objects are always available as reference.

On Reference

It is described in section 8.7 "The Reference Specification Type", that references are not real types in the language - they're only used to describe the behavior of the delete, the typeof, and the assignment operators.

Definition of "Object"

It is defined in 5.1 edition that "An Object is a collection of properties". Therefore, we can infer, that the value of the object is the collection, but as to what is the value of the collection is poorly defined in the spec, and requires a bit of effort to understand.

For programming language lawyers, I've went through the following sections of ECMAScript 5.1 (which is easier to read than the latest edition), and go as far as asking it on the ECMAScript mailing list.

TL;DR: Everythings're passed by value, but properties of Objects are references, and the definition of Object is creepily lacking in the standard.

Construction of Argument Lists

Section 11.2.4 "Argument Lists" says the following on producing a argument list consisting of only 1 argument:

The production ArgumentList : AssignmentExpression is evaluated as follows:

1. Let ref be the result of evaluating AssignmentExpression.
2. Let arg be GetValue(ref).
3. Return a List whose sole item is arg.

The section also enumerate cases where argument list has 0 or >1 arguments.

Thus, everything's are passed by reference.

Access of Object Properties

Section 11.2.1 "Property Accessors"

The production MemberExpression : MemberExpression [ Expression ] is evaluated as follows:

1. Let baseReference be the result of evaluating MemberExpression.
2. Let baseValue be GetValue(baseReference).
3. Let propertyNameReference be the result of evaluating Expression.
4. Let propertyNameValue be GetValue(propertyNameReference).
5. Call CheckObjectCoercible(baseValue).
6. Let propertyNameString be ToString(propertyNameValue).
7. If the syntactic production that is being evaluated is contained in strict mode code, let strict be true, else let strict be false.
8. Return a value of type Reference whose base value is baseValue and whose referenced name is propertyNameString, and whose strict mode flag is strict.

Thus, properties of Objects are always available as reference.

On Reference

It is described in section 8.7 "The Reference Specification Type", that references are not real types in the language - they're only used to describe the behavior of the delete, the typeof, and the assignment operators.

Definition of "Object"

It is defined in 5.1 edition that "An Object is a collection of properties". Therefore, we can infer, that the value of the object is the collection, but as to what is the value of the collection is poorly defined in the spec, and requires a bit of effort to understand.

For programming language lawyers, I've went through the following sections of ECMAScript 5.1 (which is easier to read than the latest edition).

TL;DR: Everythings're passed by value, but properties of Objects are references, and the definition of Object is creepily lacking in the standard.

Construction of Argument Lists

Section 11.2.4 "Argument Lists" says the following on producing a argument list consisting of only 1 argument:

The production ArgumentList : AssignmentExpression is evaluated as follows:

1. Let ref be the result of evaluating AssignmentExpression.
2. Let arg be GetValue(ref).
3. Return a List whose sole item is arg.

The section also enumerate cases where argument list has 0 or >1 arguments.

Thus, everything's are passed by reference.

Access of Object Properties

Section 11.2.1 "Property Accessors"

The production MemberExpression : MemberExpression [ Expression ] is evaluated as follows:

1. Let baseReference be the result of evaluating MemberExpression.
2. Let baseValue be GetValue(baseReference).
3. Let propertyNameReference be the result of evaluating Expression.
4. Let propertyNameValue be GetValue(propertyNameReference).
5. Call CheckObjectCoercible(baseValue).
6. Let propertyNameString be ToString(propertyNameValue).
7. If the syntactic production that is being evaluated is contained in strict mode code, let strict be true, else let strict be false.
8. Return a value of type Reference whose base value is baseValue and whose referenced name is propertyNameString, and whose strict mode flag is strict.

Thus, properties of Objects are always available as reference.

On Reference

It is described in section 8.7 "The Reference Specification Type", that references are not real types in the language - they're only used to describe the behavior of the delete, the typeof, and the assignment operators.

Definition of "Object"

It is defined in 5.1 edition that "An Object is a collection of properties". Therefore, we can infer, that the value of the object is the collection, but as to what is the value of the collection is poorly defined in the spec, and requires a bit of effort to understand.

For programming language lawyers, I've went through the following sections of ECMAScript 5.1 (which is easier to read than the latest edition), and go as far as asking it on the ECMAScript mailing list.

TL;DR: Everythings're passed by value, but properties of Objects are references, and the definition of Object is creepily lacking in the standard.

Construction of Argument Lists

Section 11.2.4 "Argument Lists" says the following on producing a argument list consisting of only 1 argument:

The production ArgumentList : AssignmentExpression is evaluated as follows:

1. Let ref be the result of evaluating AssignmentExpression.
2. Let arg be GetValue(ref).
3. Return a List whose sole item is arg.

The section also enumerate cases where argument list has 0 or >1 arguments.

Thus, everything's are passed by reference.

Access of Object Properties

Section 11.2.1 "Property Accessors"

The production MemberExpression : MemberExpression [ Expression ] is evaluated as follows:

1. Let baseReference be the result of evaluating MemberExpression.
2. Let baseValue be GetValue(baseReference).
3. Let propertyNameReference be the result of evaluating Expression.
4. Let propertyNameValue be GetValue(propertyNameReference).
5. Call CheckObjectCoercible(baseValue).
6. Let propertyNameString be ToString(propertyNameValue).
7. If the syntactic production that is being evaluated is contained in strict mode code, let strict be true, else let strict be false.
8. Return a value of type Reference whose base value is baseValue and whose referenced name is propertyNameString, and whose strict mode flag is strict.

Thus, properties of Objects are always available as reference.

On Reference

It is described in section 8.7 "The Reference Specification Type", that references are not real types in the language - they're only used to describe the behavior of the delete, the typeof, and the assignment operators.

Definition of "Object"

It is defined in 5.1 edition that "An Object is a collection of properties". Therefore, we can infer, that the value of the object is the collection, but as to what is the value of the collection is poorly defined in the spec, and requires a bit of effort to understand.

For programming language lawyers, I've went through the following sections of ECMAScript 5.1 (which is easier to read than the latest edition).

TL;DR: Everythings're passed by value, but properties of Objects are references, and the definition of Object is creepily lacking in the standard.

Construction of Argument Lists

Section 11.2.4 "Argument Lists" says the following on producing a argument list consisting of only 1 argument:

The production ArgumentList : AssignmentExpression is evaluated as follows:

1. Let ref be the result of evaluating AssignmentExpression.
2. Let arg be GetValue(ref).
3. Return a List whose sole item is arg.

The section also enumerate cases where argument list has 0 or >1 arguments.

Thus, everything's are passed by reference.

Access of Object Properties

Section 11.2.1 "Property Accessors"

The production MemberExpression : MemberExpression [ Expression ] is evaluated as follows:

1. Let baseReference be the result of evaluating MemberExpression.
2. Let baseValue be GetValue(baseReference).
3. Let propertyNameReference be the result of evaluating Expression.
4. Let propertyNameValue be GetValue(propertyNameReference).
5. Call CheckObjectCoercible(baseValue).
6. Let propertyNameString be ToString(propertyNameValue).
7. If the syntactic production that is being evaluated is contained in strict mode code, let strict be true, else let strict be false.
8. Return a value of type Reference whose base value is baseValue and whose referenced name is propertyNameString, and whose strict mode flag is strict.

Thus, properties of Objects are always available as reference.

On Reference

It is described in section 8.7 "The Reference Specification Type", that references are not real types in the language - they're only used to describe the behavior of the delete, the typeof, and the assignment operators.

Definition of "Object"

It is defined in 5.1 edition that "An Object is a collection of properties". Therefore, we can infer, that the value of the object is the collection, but what is the value of the collection? Is it the makeup of the content or its individuality? This was not said in the standard.

For programming language lawyers, I've went through the following sections of ECMAScript 5.1 (which is easier to read than the latest edition).

TL;DR: Everythings're passed by value, but properties of Objects are references, and the definition of Object is creepily lacking in the standard.

Construction of Argument Lists

Section 11.2.4 "Argument Lists" says the following on producing a argument list consisting of only 1 argument:

The production ArgumentList : AssignmentExpression is evaluated as follows:

1. Let ref be the result of evaluating AssignmentExpression.
2. Let arg be GetValue(ref).
3. Return a List whose sole item is arg.

The section also enumerate cases where argument list has 0 or >1 arguments.

Thus, everything's are passed by reference.

Access of Object Properties

Section 11.2.1 "Property Accessors"

The production MemberExpression : MemberExpression [ Expression ] is evaluated as follows:

1. Let baseReference be the result of evaluating MemberExpression.
2. Let baseValue be GetValue(baseReference).
3. Let propertyNameReference be the result of evaluating Expression.
4. Let propertyNameValue be GetValue(propertyNameReference).
5. Call CheckObjectCoercible(baseValue).
6. Let propertyNameString be ToString(propertyNameValue).
7. If the syntactic production that is being evaluated is contained in strict mode code, let strict be true, else let strict be false.
8. Return a value of type Reference whose base value is baseValue and whose referenced name is propertyNameString, and whose strict mode flag is strict.

Thus, properties of Objects are always available as reference.

On Reference

It is described in section 8.7 "The Reference Specification Type", that references are not real types in the language - they're only used to describe the behavior of the delete, the typeof, and the assignment operators.

Definition of "Object"

It is defined in 5.1 edition that "An Object is a collection of properties". Therefore, we can infer, that the value of the object is the collection, but as to what is the value of the collection is poorly defined in the spec, and requires a bit of effort to understand.