The intuitive thought is that you want to be calling with your lower pocket pairs, since you want to see flops as cheaply as possible. But if you are always calling, and never 3-betting this would tell someone a lot about your 3betting range.
Is it correct to assume that always calling in Position with lower pocket pairs, and then defending with a mix of calls and 3bets in the blinds is a better tactic than always calling / folding?
If the action has gone raise --> call --> then I'm almost always calling with these hands (especially on the button when having position or on the bid blind when closing the action)
But if the action is a single raise I'm with you that occasionally I'll mix them in with a 3bet from the blinds. I especially like the play when we are deepstacked because we increase the implied odds of the hand by building a bigger pot.
If we flop or turn a set (since opponent will usually just call the flop bet) and they have flopped a pair then we can win a very big pot. We'll also get to win the pot when they miss the flop, and it's a hand they'll never be able to put you on.
I don't do it all the time, but against players with a high fold to 3bet, especially loose openers, I was a big fan of throwing small pairs into my 3betting range.
Great question, and of course it's very situational, but I like having that option in the arsenal!