在现实世界的很多现象中,都能够看到小世界属性,这包括网络中的导航菜单、食物网、电网、代谢处理网络(metabolite processing networks)、[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_neural_network 脑神经网络]、选民网络、电话呼叫图、社交影响网络等等。文化网络<ref name="a13">#" 'n [http://www.litnet.co.za/n-kwantifisering-van-kleinwereldsheid-in-afrikaanse-kultuurnetwerke-in-vergelyking-met-ander-komplekse-netwerke/ Kwantifisering van kleinwêreldsheid in Afrikaanse kultuurnetwerke in vergelyking met ander komplekse netwerke | LitNet]". LitNet. 2015-11-05. Retrieved 2017-02-27.</ref>与单词共现网络<ref name="a14">#"[http://www.litnet.co.za/die-statistiese-eienskappe-van-geskrewe-afrikaans-n-komplekse-netwerk/ Die statistiese eienskappe van geskrewe Afrikaans as 'n komplekse netwerk | LitNet]". LitNet. 2017-02-09. Retrieved 2017-02-27.</ref>也被证明是小世界网络。
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相连的蛋白质网络同样具有小世界性质,例如遵从幂律的度分布。<ref name="a15">#Bork, P.; Jensen, LJ; von Mering, C.; Ramani, A.; Lee, I.; Marcotte, EM. (2004). "[http://marcottelab.org/paper-pdfs/cosb-review.pdf Protein interaction networks from yeast to human]" (PDF). Current Opinion in Structural Biology. 14 (3): 292–299. doi:10.1016/j.sbi.2004.05.003. PMID 15193308.</ref>类似地还有[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcriptional_regulation 转录网络],其节点为[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene 基因],如果某一个基因对另一个基因有上调或下调的遗传影响,且这些基因彼此相连,这一网络就具有小世界网络的性质。<ref name="a16">#Van Noort, V; Snel, B; Huynen, MA. (Mar 2004). "[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1299002 The yeast coexpression network has a small-world, scale-free architecture and can be explained by a simple model]". EMBO Rep. 5 (3): 280–4. doi:10.1038/sj.embor.7400090. PMC 1299002 Freely accessible. PMID 14968131.</ref>
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===非小世界网络例子===
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另一个例子就是人与人之间的“[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_separation 六度分离]”理论,这里默认的适用[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_of_discourse 领域]是一群在任意时刻都活着的人。[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein 阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦]与[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great 亚历山大大帝]之间的分离度,几乎肯定是大于30的<ref name="a17">#Einstein and Alexander the Great lived 2202 years apart. Assuming an age difference of 70 years between any two connected people in the chain that connects the two, this would necessitate at least 32 connections between Einstein and Alexander the Great.</ref>,而且这个世界并不具备小世界属性。一个同样不具备小世界性质的网络还有“曾去同一家学校上学”的网络:如果两个人加入某一所大学的时间差了10年,他们不太可能在学生团体中有共同的熟人。