That's possible. That's exactly what I did when I started. I didn't know anything about keys or positions, I just picked up my accordion and poked around til I found the notes that seemed close to the song in my head.
But I've never really noticed a predominance of a certain position of playing by area. The very old recordings I have all include both 1st and 2nd. Do you have any examples of what you're describing?
I've come to personally much prefer playing in 1st position, where as I used to prefer to play in 2nd. It seemed easier at first to play in 2nd, but once I figured out the patterns of 1st postion, they seem to come easier for me.
The preferred position depends on the scale of the tune you're playing.
Some tunes use a relatively simple scale like 5-notes or penta-(=5)tonic, and would be playable in both positions.
A fiddle tune like Arkinsaw Traveller, Melville Twostep, would only be playable in C on a C accordion because of the notes used within normal major scale.
Some tunes like Old Joe Clarke, Acadian Twostep, Cajun Hot Shoes, use a mixolydean scale, that is a Bb instead of a B in the major C scale.
You'll need an F accordion for that to play it in C as such, second position. Or play it in G on a C-accordion.
Some tunes are somehow playable on a onerow melodeon skipping an occasional less important melody because you only have a limited scale on it: 7 notes available per octave instead of the 12 on a "less abnormal" instrument like a fiddle, guitar or piano accordion. - Nout
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
