What Is the Scope of the “this” Object in Browser Script?

Unforunately this object is not available in general functions in Siebel browser scripts. Not just this none of the Siebel methods are available in general functions on the browser side.
For eg: theApplication().GetProfileAttr("") doesn't work.

There are two ways of getting the objects in general functions one is the way that is mentioned in the document declare general variables and on applet load assign them the objects.

On load of applet
appplet = this;
application = theApplication();
this would need a general variable declaration. if you dont want to use that approach you can use the following method.

theApplication() is a top level method and is available as
top.theApplication() through out the browser script.
You can directly use top.theApplication().GetProfileattr("...");
If you need to get the applet instance just declare a local variable
var applet = top.theApplication().FindApplet("...");