Well yes and no. Dot gain is the absorption of ink into the paper
stock...the better the paper (and its coating) the less absorption or
"dot gain."
I suspect a better analogy would be the "piping" effect you get with
infrared film due to the absence of an anti-halation backing (Kodak film
only). The light spreads across the grain outside of an area of greater
exposure...the highlights.
Who knows? Would a point light source render a different look? Or how
about a vacuum frame?
Darryl