Mapping the qq-voter model: From a single chain to complex networks

• Different mappings of the qq-voter model to complex networks are discussed.
• Influence group topology not relevant on networks with short relative path lengths.
• Topology of the group impacts the opinion dynamics in case of long path lengths.
• Model design usually irrelevant for real social networks (short path lengths).
• Differences between inflow and outflow dynamics related to the group topology.

We propose and compare six different ways of mapping the modified qq-voter model to complex networks. Considering square lattices, Barabási–Albert, Watts–Strogatz and real Twitter networks, we ask the question if always a particular choice of the group of influence of a fixed size qq leads to different behavior at the macroscopic level. Using Monte Carlo simulations we show that the answer depends on the relative average path length of the network and for real-life topologies the differences between the considered mappings may be negligible.