ActionScript :: Flex - An Object Returned From A Function Call Changed The Next Time The Same Function Is Called?

I have an AS3 program that calls a function multiple times. The function must return multiple variables, so I created a class for the function to declare an object containing all of these variables. For example, here's my class:

package
{
public class PER
{
[Code].....

Let's say the calling program calls the function, which returns the variables into data_set1 (where data_set1 depends on input variables arg1, arg2, arg3) using:

var data_set1:PER = function_name(arg1, arg2, arg3);

The calling program does some stuff, then calls the function again, but returns the variables into a new variable name, data_set2:

var data_set2:PER = function_name(arg4, arg5, arg6);

My intention is that data_set1 and data_set2 are different (e.g. not linked together).

My question is, given that arrays are passed by reference, will data_set1 be modified to agree with data_set2 upon the 2nd function call? Why or why not?