Crossed modules and symmetric cohomology of groups

Abstract

This paper links the third symmetric cohomology (introduced by Staic and Zarelua ) to crossed modules with certain properties. The equivalent result in the language of 2-groups states that an extension of 2-groups corresponds to an element of $HS^3$ iff it possesses a section which preserves inverses in the 2-categorical sense. This ties in with Staic's (and Zarelua's) result regarding $HS^2$ and abelian extensions of groups.