No it cannot, it is a word that is intentionally misused. In every context phobia is fear. People are not prejudiced against heights, spiders, saran wrap, or enclosed spaces. They have an irrational fear. I give a rats ass if researchers misuse a word and pass it off as reality. This all started when people started using homophobia as a real word now it is applied in any argument when someone wants to shame the opposition. This is the typical liberal mindset. If you against taking guns away you don't care about kids dying. If you don't by into the Global Warming hype you don't care about the environment. If you against abortion for birth control but are ok with it for -blam!- victims your a baby killers. If you speak against our welfare state you are greedy and heartless. Why pose a valid argument when you can try to shame people instead